The Troublesome Case Of Benjamin Youngblood
by Spark Plug x
Summary: Benjamin Youngblood is an American exchange student. He doesn't understand the different houses, the moving staircases, or anything else Hogwarts has to offer. What he does understand is that he's best friends with Oliver Wood's daughter, the Quidditch fanatic, that he's in somewhat of a rivalry with James Potter, and that Albus Potter was absolutely adorable. MaleOCXAlbus JamesxOC
1. Chapter 1

"_First things first I'm the realest." _

Benjamin groaned as the song woke him from his slumber. The song drifted into his room through his open bedroom door that he swore he shut last night. He shouldn't be surprised. He woke up to that song every day for the past month. He hated Eleanor's radio. He wasn't even sure how she got a signal. They lived out in the middle of nowhere. Well, they lived in the countryside out by Manchester, but, still.

"Get your butt up!" A British female voice ordered. He groaned again, this time the light to the room turned on and he was temporally blinded.

"Eleanor, let me sleep." He whined, pulling his blankets over his head. The girl rolled her eyes and tugged the blankets off of him. He glared at her as she turned and left his room.

"We'll be stuck in the crowds if you keep this up. We need to go buy our school supplies. You've got a lot to learn about British Wizardry School!" She chided as she went to finish up her morning routine.

Benjamin Youngblood was an America foreign exchange student. His school, Salem Academy, had picked multiple students that they thought would be excellent students to send to Hogwarts.

Benjamin was pretty damn sure they asked him to go because they were tired of putting up with his bullshit.

He went anyway, leaving his family and a few friends behind as he traveled to England. It wasn't so bad. The family he was staying with, the Wood family, were very nice people. Crazy Quidditch fanatics, but nice people. He was the same age as their daughter, Eleanor, who he had spent every day with for the past few months.

"It's so early." He complained as he trudged into the bathroom to brush his teeth and hair.

"We need to get a move on things. Diagon Alley waits for no witch or wizard!" She exclaimed, brushing her long, wavy, dark brown hair. Even though she was shorter than Benjamin, she had the build to kick his ass. He usually went along with whatever she wanted, since she was known to have a temper. He stuck with smart ass comments that riled her up, since it was too much fun to tease her. "You should be the one excited here. You get to be sorted soon!"

"Explain this concept to me again." He asked as he brushed his hair. He didn't feel like styling it, or changing his hair style so he grabbed a beanie and put it on, satisfied with how it looked. He went to go change into his clothes as Eleanor sighed again. "Just run it by me again."

"At Hogwarts, you are sorted into different Houses." She began, folding her arms across her chest. "Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

"You're Ravenclaw, right?" He questioned and she nodded her head.

"One is known for courage, one for being wise, another for being loyal, and the other for being shrewd, or sly." She continued as he pulled on his jeans and shirt. "I doubt you'll be a Ravenclaw with me." He sent a fake hurt look her way as he got his shoes on. He chuckled and grabbed his bag.

"Well who cares what house I'm in?" He asked her.

"You're impossible. No wonder you were chosen to be on this program, bet they were sick of you back home." The girl rolled her eyes once more, something she did often with the male. "And stop changing your hair and eye color, honestly." She chided and his hair stopped on a bright red color that matched his now red eyes.

"Can't help it." He shrugged but she hit him with a pillow.

"Stop lying. I know you can. Damn metamorphmagus idiot." She muttered under her breath as he tossed his pillow back onto his bed and recovered from the hit. Eleanor was more annoyed with the fact that she hadn't ever seen what Benjamin actually looked like. She knew the nose he had now was not his natural nose, nor was his hair and eye color the natural color. She found it frustrating because he was her best friend. She should know everything about him.

"Hey, I can't help that it runs in the Youngblood family." He defended himself as his hair and eyes changed to blue, then back to red, just to piss her off. "People aren't going to be freaked out, right? Back home everyone knew that it ran in our bloodline since forever, so it wasn't much of a surprise when I did it."

He had been a little worried when he told the Wood family he was a metamorphmagus. His grandmother was one, and her father had been one, and her father's mother had been one. His grandfather even took his grandmother's last name to get the Youngblood last name to continue it. Everyone that lived near the family knew that having the last name of Youngblood meant you had the chance of being a metamorphmagus. He was confident in his skill, but he wasn't too sure how others would take it.

It didn't stop people from making fun of him though.

"No one should be freaked out by it, but it's still extremely rare. Teddy Lupin is one as well, he's very good at it." Eleanor said as she grabbed her bag and made her way downstairs.

"There's another one?" He asked, excited. "I've never met one that was close to my age. My grandma is the only one I know."

"Yup. I think you two would get along if you ever get to meet him." She said as they walked into the kitchen together. "Now let me make breakfast."

"Ah, no no no, let me do it." He told her, brushing past her as she pouted, but sat on a bar stool and leaned against the counter.

Benjamin had learned the first week of staying here that Eleanor could not cook. She was amazing at Quidditch and made good grades, but her eggs were like rocks and her toast was a piece of charcoal. Benjamin, however, took care of his younger siblings during the summer when he wasn't at school, so he knew how to cook decent food that wouldn't kill you.

Eleanor's parents were usually gone the whole day. They left at seven in the morning and returned around five. Her two older siblings, Caleb and Amelia, had long since moved out. They come home for Sunday dinners sometimes, so Ben got to meet them once or twice. They were okay, but there was an age gap between them and Eleanor, about five years between her and Caleb and twelve between her and Amelia, so they didn't always get along the greatest.

"What do you want?" Ben asked her as he looked in the fridge.

"I wanna cook." She continued to pout and he rolled his eyes. "Eggs."

"Scrambled with cheese?" He questioned, knowing just what she wanted. "One day you will be able to cook, but today is not that day."

Eleanor patiently watched him cook. Benjamin wasn't all that bad. He was a bit odd, a teenage American with a thick Boston accent with a love for dragons and changing his appearance.

He clashed with her immediately, being so defiant and always changing, but he was good company when her parents worked long shifts that kept them away from home. Their home was large and empty, but with Ben, it wasn't so lonely. He sat quietly and drew while Eleanor read and he didn't disturb her too much.

He cleaned up after himself and made smart ass remarks to anything they watched on the television, which Eleanor enjoyed greatly.

Although he could be _quite_ cocky and vain, he was sweet. He treated her so well, and gave her so much attention that she was lacking from her family. He felt like an older brother to her, and he treated her better than her actual brother did. He did whatever she wanted to do, within reason, and usually didn't argue with her, which felt great, especially when she grew up being bossed around by her siblings. She never truly got to do what she wanted. Now she could.

"Let's go!" Eleanor declared once Ben finished cleaning up all the dishes. She got up out of her seat and Ben followed her closely to the fireplace. She pulled powder out of a sack near the fireplace and threw it all over Ben. He sneezed as she put it all over herself.

"Hold my hand so you don't get lost." He told her. She frowned as he took her hand. "We're not getting separated. Like hell I'm getting sent to the middle of nowhere."

"Shut up." She told him as she turned to the fire place. "Diagon Alley." She said loudly and clearly as they stepped in.

Ben really hated the floo. It felt like he was turning into liquid and it made him want to throw up.

They stumbled out onto a cobblestone street. Benjamin stared in awe at the place. "This is totally different from America…."

"Cool, right?" She asked with a smirk, not used to seeing the male so in awe about something before. "Now, come along. I got our school supplies list right here." She pulled him along with her through the crowds of people.

"It looks so old timey." He commented as they walked. "Like for real, this place needs an upgrade." He looked up to the old building, chuckling.

"Oh, be quiet." She sighed through her nose as she looked over the list. "We basically need the same books and supplies, thank goodness. I hope I don't get stuck in classes with you though."

"But you're my only friend here." He whined. "I'm sure I can make new friends but still. Everyone will already know everyone else. It's not like I'm a freshman…or a first year, whatever you call them."

"First year is right. You do have a point there. By fifth year, relationships are established, but you can be friends with the other American students." Eleanor said. "You have your money, right?"

"Holla." He said, waving the sack of money in front of her face before stuffing it back into his pockets. "The school's money, actually. Like I'd come over here without them paying for everything."

"Now, we need to stay on schedule. We have a few things to pick up and I have a list."

"Kitties!" Benjamin exclaimed as he walked by the pet store window. He hurried in and Eleanor followed, grumbling at him. Ben immediately went to a grumpy cat that only had one eye. "Precious baby." He cooed and it tried to attack him as he tried to pet it.

"That one is a mean one." A worker told him but he smiled at it anyway and tried to pet it again. "It's the runt of the litter. He's a big bully though. He got into trouble, but we got him out of it. He lost an eye in the process."

"Ben, no." Eleanor told him, trying to pull him away but he stayed in place.

"I'm allowed to have a pet at school, right? I want this cat."

"Oh, Eleanor, what are you doing here?" A male voice questioned and Eleanor quickly turned, frown on her face.

"None of your business, Potter." Eleanor spat out, glaring at James Potter. His little sister, Lily Luna, was behind him, looking at the pets. He smirked, lifting an eyebrow at Ben before glancing back to Eleanor.

Benjamin picked the cat up, and it threw a fit, but settled down once it realized that Benjamin wasn't letting him go. "There ya go. How much is he?"

"You want to buy him?" The worker asked, shocked.

"Benjamin you are not serious." Eleanor grumbled in disbelief.

"Who is that?" James asked, glancing to look at Ben, who was paying for the cat and grinning widely.

"None of your business Potter!" She exclaimed and jumped when Ben took her hand, his cat in its cage in his other hand.

"Let's bounce, Ellie, we got things to do." He said and pulled her out of the shop, James looking at them furiously. Ben just smirked at James over his shoulder. "What's his deal?" He asked once they were back on the streets.

"I hate him so much!" She exclaimed, face turning red. "He is a horrible, horrible boy!"

"I could tell you didn't like him much." Benjamin replied, glancing back into the store, where the male was now with who Ben assumed was his family. "What's the deal?"

"The deal? The deal with James Potter is that he has been a complete ass to me ever since our first year! He taunts me and irritates me to no end. Just seeing him or hearing his name gets my blood boiling!" She didn't look like she was going to be calming down anytime soon. "You know what he did in my third year?" She questioned, looking to Benjamin. "He lit my hair on fire. It burned it to the roots. To. The. Roots."

"Damn." He muttered. "What a dick."

"I know! It took two weeks for the hair potion to get to working! I was bald for two weeks!" She continued to rant as Ben looked around, catching a glimpse of an ice-cream shop.

"Let me buy you some ice cream." He took her hand and pulled her towards the shopping, her shouting behind him.

"I don't want ice cream, I want revenge!" She exclaimed as he pulled her into the shop.

"Two scoops of the raspberry and vanilla in a cone please." He told the lady behind the counter. "You like Earl Grey and Lavender, right?" He questioned. She nodded her head and he order it for her. He handed the cone to her and paid, getting his ice cream after. "Ice cream makes everyone feel better."

"I want revenge." She repeated, but licked her ice cream. "Thanks." She grumbled and he smiled at her.

"No prob. Don't worry about him, you got me now." He told her as they left the shop.

"What good will you do?"

"Rude. I like to fuck around with people. It's a past time of mind, actually. Probably one of the reasons they chose me to get sent over here. You're my friend now, so, I dislike Potter as well." He told her with a smirk on his face. "I'll help you get some revenge on him, because burning your hair to the roots is unforgivable."

"Damn straight it is." She nodded her head as she continued to eat her ice cream.

"Feeling better now?" He asked her after a few minutes of walking around, eating their ice cream. He stopped and let his cat have the rest.

"I am feeling better. I cannot believe you got that cat….it's so…ugly."

"Excuse me! Nick Fury is the cutest thing!" He looked at the black cat, who just glared at him after the ice cream was all gone.

"Nick Fury?"

"Yeah, the dude from the 'Avengers'. Do you not watch movies? I was going to do Nick Furry, but that's too punny. The guy only has one eye in the movie."

"I don't watch movies often. You're an idiot." She told the taller male, whose hair was now purple under his beanie. "Stop with the hair color. Pick a color and stay with it." She chided him and he whined. "Change your eye color to something normal. God, that cat is awful."

"Red's my favorite color though. He's precious." He told her as they went to get their robes. Eleanor picked them all out and Benjamin just carried the bags.

This process continued to most of the stores. Eleanor picked everything out and Benjamin just carried it and looked at everything. "This place really is amazing. Back home it's not as exciting. My grandma would take me to make sure I didn't blow my money on stupid things. Sometimes my brother or dad would come along, but they were usually busy."

"Busy with what?"

"My brother was furthering his healer training and my dad had work along with his family."

"What about your mother?" She questioned.

"Oh, I'm a half-blood." He told her, pointing at himself. "She knew about us, but, my parents spilt when I was about…six or seven. They both remarried shortly after that. My dad kind of wiped the magic out of her memories since he's extremely talented with charms, it's sort of his thing, and so she doesn't remember. My step-mom knows, of course, because her sister is a witch and because there's a possibility that one of their kids could be a witch or wizard. She's a really nice lady." He explained further. "Anyway, I lived with my grandma until I was about seven, since I had issues with my…powers."

"Oh right, sorry, forgot." This made Eleanor laugh, thinking of a younger Benjamin turning himself into different people and causing trouble for his grandmother. "Got your wand, right?" She questioned as they passed by Ollivander's store. First years were inside, picking out their wands.

"Yup, sure do." He replied, nodding his head. "Best thing in the whole world. Other than my new cat." He smiled at it, and it just looked at him.

"Good. You'll need it. She questioned, looking at him. "Are you excited for Transfiguration class?"

"That class is my jam." He told her with a shrug. "However, can I skip potions? I'm shit at them…..and charms…those are really my dad and brother's fields."

"You're such a geek." She told him, eyebrows raised. "Then again, what would I expect from a Metamorphmagus? Nope, you can't skip them."

"It's fun!" He exclaimed, as she stopped again.

"Albus!" She smiled widely at another boy who looked similar to James. This boy had green eyes and was a little smaller than James though, and had longer hair. "How are you?"

"Oh, hey Eleanor. I'm good." He replied as she hugged him. "Mum, Eleanor is over here." He called out and an older woman with ginger hair came over, smiling and hugging Eleanor.

"James said he saw you in the pet store earlier." She said as she let go of Eleanor. "I'm surprised the store didn't burst into flames. I know how you two can be."

"Benjamin stepped in before anything happened." She replied, directing their attention to Benjamin, who waved behind all the bags he was carrying. Eleanor grabbed a random cart someone had left and pushed it over to him.

"God, they have carts?" He questioned as he dropped everything onto the cart. "You made me carry all that stuff for an hour for no reason?" He sat Nick Fury's cage on top of the other items and grinned at the cat, who gave him an annoyed look.

"Oh shush." She replied and smiled back at the other two. "This is Benjamin Youngblood. He's the foreign exchange student that's staying with us."

"You're mother has told me all about that. Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm Ginny Potter, but you can call me Ms. Ginny. This is my son, Albus. You met his older brother, James, earlier." She introduced herself and Benjamin shook both of their hands, smiling. "Nice cat."

"It's nice to meet ya." He told them. "Thanks, he's new! Oh yeah, her mom is the best. She makes the best treats." He sighed happily, starting to feel hungry again. "Man, I'm getting hungry."

"Americans." Eleanor sighed, rolling her eyes. "Are you two almost done with all you're shopping?"

"Oh yes. Albus got a head start on it. James came later with his father, we're just waiting for them and Lily to finish." Ms. Ginny continued and Albus blushed a little. Benjamin grinned at him, liking him much better than his older brother.

"I wanted a head start too, before it got super busy, but this one here didn't want to wake up." She eyed Benjamin, who just shrugged.

"I was having a bad hair day, what can I say?" He shrugged his shoulders, red eyes gleaming. Eleanor looked ready to hit him, wishing he changed his eye color to something more, normal and not demonic. "But, for real, dude, so hungry. I'm fading out."

"Then fade out. I'm not done talking." Eleanor told him and he just leaned his head on her shoulder, much like a child would do to their mother. "What classes are you taking this year, Al?"

"Trans-species Transformations." He sighed. "I'm not the biggest fan of transfiguration." He admitted and this perked Benjamin back up.

"Oh no, you used the 't' word." Eleanor said. "Benjamin loves transfiguration."

"I'm incredibly amazing at it." He smirked confidently. "I was the best in my class."

"Calm down." Eleanor smirked at Benjamin. "Maybe Benny here can tutor you if you need help. You're good at potions, right? You and Ben can trade off, because he apparently can't do potions at all."

"Oh yeah, totally. If ya need help, I'll be there. Good, someone who knows what they're doing in potions. I just close my eyes and hope for the best." He grinned at Albus, winking at him. "But for real I'm super hungry and your mom said she'd have lemon squares ready for us when we got back home." He turned to Eleanor, stomach growling.

"How about you two join us for lunch? I know Harry is probably hungry, shopping wears him and James out." Ms. Ginny smiled.

"Eh..." Eleanor thought it over.

"We'd love to join you!" Ben jumped in before Eleanor could say anything more.

* * *

><p>Eleanor sat next to Ben at their table at the Leaky Cauldron. She didn't seem too pleased, mostly because she had an empty chair in front of her and she knew James would sit there and smugly smile at her throughout the whole meal.<p>

"Sorry we're late." An older man said as he and James walked in with a younger girl with orange hair. "Oh, Eleanor, hello."

"Hello Mr. Potter." Eleanor smiled at him, ignoring James. Ben's eyes followed James as the male walked over to his chair. Right as he was sitting down, Ben raised his eyebrows and the chair moved. James fell onto his butt with a yelp. Albus laughed loudly with his sister.

"James, did you miss the seat?" His father laughed as James grumbled words under his breath, rubbing his butt as he got up. He pulled the chair over and sat down, still grumbling. "Who is this?" He directed the question towards Ben. He stood and reached out his arm, shaking the man's hand.

"I'm Benjamin Youngblood. I'm an exchange student from America. I'm stayin' with Eleanor and her family." He introduced himself.

"I'm Harry Potter, it's nice to meet you." Harry said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Potter." He smiled back and sat down, while James huffed. Ben sat back down, fidgeting with something in his lap.

Eleanor glanced over to Ben, sending him a confused look when James' drink spilled.

"What is going on with you today?" His mother questioned, her oldest son not usually this clumsy.

"I don't know!" James exclaimed, getting frustrated easily. Ben hid his smirk behind his hand as he rested one of his elbows on the table. His red eyes gleamed with mischief and Eleanor glanced down to his lap, seeing the male's wand in his other hand.

"So, Benjamin, can I take a guess a say you're a metamorphmagus?" Harry asked as he looked up from his menu to see Ben's red eyes.

"Oh, yes sir. Guess the red eyes gave it away?" He chuckled at this and changed his eyes to brown.

"Better." Eleanor told him as she saw this. "Yes, it runs in his family. He likes to change his hair about a million times a day."

"If I have the ability I gotta use it." Ben shrugged at her and turned back to Harry. "Youngbloods are known for it where I'm from."

"You and Teddy would get along well. He's my godson." Harry explained and Ben perked up, grinning now. "You actually are a lot like him. I guess metamorphamgi like that rebel look." He said as he noticed the shaved sides of Ben's head under his beanie. "He wears his hair the same way."

"Eleanor told me about him. I don't know any others besides my grandma." He told them as James' cup moved quickly to the right, then left, before he finally snatched it.

"Albus! Stop it!" James accused his younger brother, who shot him a dirty look.

"I'm not doing anything." Albus replied, annoyed that he was accused.

"Lily." James started, but his sister shook her head. He turned his glare to Ben, who gave him an innocent look.

"Why ya looking at me?" He questioned, holding his wand tightly in his hand underneath the table. "Dude, it's definitely not me. Why would I do that?"

He just sighed and stared at his menu. Ben raised his eyebrows at Eleanor, who seemed very pleased with his handiwork.

"Are you excited about Hogwarts?" Lily asked Ben, smiling at him, seeming to know he was the one behind the pranks.

"Definitely. I like adventure!"

"You might be in Gryffindor then." Harry told him, nodding his head. "Lily and James made it into that house." He looked at his kids, who all just shrugged.

"That's pretty sweet." Ben replied. "I dunno, I probably won't land in that house. I'm trying not to think about it too much. Being placed in a house doesn't worry me at all, because it won't matter once the school year is over. We don't do that sort of thing in America, we mostly are divided by our grade. It's boring."

"Sounds it." Albus mumbled.

"I'm sure you'll get into it. A lot of our family is in it." Lily said, nodding her head. "James and I, our cousins, Victorie, Louis, Fred, Roxanne, and Molly."

"Gee, all Gryffindors?" He questioned, surprised that they were all in it.

"The others are mostly in Ravenclaw with me." Eleanor told him. "And Albus is Slytherin with Rose. Hugo is in Hufflepuff. "

"Makes me wonder what houses all my siblings would be in. My older brother would definitely be a Ravenclaw, he's such a prick." He chuckled and Eleanor elbowed him.

"Guess you and your brother are a lot alike?" James asked snidely as Harry ordered the food. James smirked as he reached for his cup. He took a sip and it spilled all over him. Albus looked at Ben as this happened, then started to laugh loudly.

"Nice." He whispered to Ben, who raised his eyesbrows at Albus.

"Thanks." He replied, starting to like Albus more. "Glad it's appreciated."

"It definitely is." Albus told him, nodding his head as he stopped laughing. "He deserved it."

"Glad you think so too." Ben was extremely happy that Albus was siding with him. "Yeah, my brother and I aren't so much alike, actually. He's more serious and I like to think I'm more playful. We look alike though."

"Is he your only sibling?" Harry questioned, curious.

"Oh, no, I have nine siblings. Some half siblings, the others step-siblings." Ben answered, taking a sip of his drink. "My parents divorced and both remarried."

"Ah, big family. I like that." Ginny chuckled, thinking of her siblings.

"I love it a lot." Ben told her, thinking of his family. "My siblings are all pretty young, except for Millie and Trent, but they were from my step dad's previous marriage. Clara and the other three might have powers, but I doubt it. I was kinda hoping for another one like me, but my grandma said I'd be the only one in the family, except her. My brother just has powers, he can't change like me."

"Probably a relief for your parents."

"Oh, yeah, I was awful as a kid. I'm quite sly and cunning." Ben chuckled thinking about how he would change how he looked and freak his parents out. "That was a lot of fun, actually."

"You're awful now." James muttered and his chair tipped over and he fell to the floor.

"James, are you alright?" His mother asked, worried. Albus bit his lip, as did Eleanor and Lily, to hold back the laughter.

"I want to go home." James whined, starting to get sick of this.

* * *

><p>"Are you worried?" Eleanor asked as Ben played with a blade of grass. They were sitting outside in Eleanor's large backyard, which really had no ends to it. There was a small pond a few yards away, with balls of hay everywhere amongst their property.<p>

"Nah." He mumbled, shaking his head. "Been through worse. Ma told me I'd be fine, no matter what house I'm placed in. She did research on Hogwarts. Worried I might not like it."

"I thought you told me your mother and father got divorced?" She sent him a confused look because she knew that his mother was a muggle, and after the divorce, his farther wiped her memory of all and any magic. Including Benjamin. His stepmother, however, was a squib, so there were no secrets.

"I call my step mom 'ma'. Call my actual mother 'mom', though I don't really get to use it often on her." He trailed off, looking off at the pond. He was quiet for a few moments, which was odd for him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Excited to see what the fuss is about." He told her. "You talk about Hogwarts so much, of course I'm excited to get to go."

"Is that what's really bothering you?" She poked his side and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Nothing is bothering me, my dear Eleanor. I just hope I don't get stuck in the same house as Potter."


	2. Chapter 2

"Now please, behave yourselves." Mrs. Wood said the next morning as they stood on the platform. She looked ready to cry as she held Eleanor tightly.

"Mother, please." She grumbled, embarrassed. Mr. Wood just shook Benjamin's hand, telling him to watch Eleanor and keep her safe from any boys.

"Of course, sir." Benjamin replied, ready to get a move on. "I ain't digging these clothes, do we get to change out of them?" He questioned, wondering why the British wore such awful clothing.

"No, it's your new uniform. Depending on what house you'll in, you'll get different colors." Mr. Wood said as Mrs. Wood let go of Eleanor.

"You behave too now, you hear?" She said and hugged Benjamin tightly, surprising him. "Write the second you can and let us know what house you're in."

"Got it. Behaving isn't really my cup of tea, but I'll give it a go for you." He told her and hugged her back, making her grip on him even tighter. "Oh god….can't…breath."

"Mother!" Eleanor exclaimed and she let him go. "We'll write to you, we promise. Now we got to go or we'll miss the train!" She told them, hugging them one last time before pushing her cart into the wall, disappearing.

"The hell." Benjamin questioned, eyes wide. "Oh hell no. I ain't doing that."

"Ben, it's safe. We all did it when we were younger." Mr. Wood told him, patting his back. "Just aim straight, push your cart, and run."

"I wanna go back home. We didn't have to run through walls there." He whined as Mr. Wood pushed him. He made a face, but ran at the wall, closing his eyes.

"You took forever." Eleanor complained when he opened his eyes again. He was, what looked to be, an entirely different train station. "The wall thing scared me when I was first year, but at least I didn't close my eyes."

"Shut up." He muttered, embarrassed. "It was freaky as hell."

"Don't be a baby. Follow me." She ordered and turned on her heel quickly, pushing her cart over to the loading area, leaving it there and pulling Benjamin along with her. "They'll take care of our things. We need to board and find a compartment."

"We ride a train?" He questioned, confused. "I guess it's not that different than back home, though we rode the metro. This is waaayyy cooler." He seemed excited as she yanked him onto the train.

"Don't act weird." She told him as they searched for a compartment to sit in. Benjamin smiled at everyone and greeted them.

"I'm trying to come off friendly so I can make friends in whatever house I'm stuck in." He told her as they passed by the sweets cart. "Oh dude I want all of that."

"No." She told him, annoyed at how he was behaving. Though she couldn't blame him for trying. "Why don't you go befriend the other American students?"

"Eh, I'd rather hang with you. You know what you're doing." He told her. The other American students seemed to be fitting in just fine. In fact, they seemed pretty popular amongst the other students, but Benjamin preferred to stay with Eleanor, because she was his friend, his only friend, at the moment.

"Hey, Eleanor!" A male called as they passed by a compartment. She backed up and smiled, hurrying into it.

"Hey guys!" She hugged two blond males, who looked to be twins. Each had short hair. "I should've figured you'd get on the train before me. How are you doing?"

"Great!" They said together, then looked at each other. "Whose is this? The foreign exchange student that's been living with you?"

"Yes, this is Benjamin Youngblood, an annoyance who is constantly changing what he looks like, so beware. Ben, this is Lorcan and Lysander Scamander." She pointed to them as she introduced them. Lorcan had a playful smirk and bangs in his face, while Lysander had his bangs out of his face. "Do you mind if we sit with you?"

"We were just about to ask you to join us!" Lorcan said as he sat back down. "So, Benjamin, you like it here?"

"Ah, yeah, it's nice. Rainy and cold most of the time, but I don't mind it too much." He replied, sitting down and smiling at people that walked pat their compartment. "You two are Ravenclaws with Eleanor?"

"Oh yes, it's fun to be in the same house as her." Lysander told him. "You've seen her get riled up about quidditch, right?"

"That's all her family ever talks about." He blew his bangs out of his face, starting to regret not styling his hair up today.

It honestly wasn't surprising how obsessed the family was with Quidditch. All the children played it, meaning Eleanor, her older brother Caleb, and her older sister Amelia. Her older brother actually was playing professionally for England's team as a Chaser.

"Are you going to play?" Lorcan asked and Ben shook his head no.

"Of course he is!" Eleanor exclaimed, surprising Ben. "You are playing. You can't be friends with me and stay with my family and not play!"

"Eh…I'm not the greatest. They always made me a seeker at school and I was terrible at it." He frowned.

"We'll work on it." Eleanor told him sternly as a sweets cart went by the door. Ben's eyes followed it longingly.

"I want some sweets…" He mumbled.

"Fine, go get some." Eleanor told him and he smiled at her before jumping up and running after the cart.

He caught up quickly and excitedly ordered one of everything on the cart, wanting to try it all. A few first years watched him, longingly looking at the candy, but being too nervous to order any or just not having the money to.

"Want some?" He offered to them, happy to blow the money he had left over from supplies. The school would collect the leftover money at the end of his trip, and he wasn't eager to give them their money back. The first years looked surprised, but eagerly accepted.

"Thank you so much!" They exclaimed and he shrugged it off, happy to make them relax a little.

"No problem, you all look a little stressed about the first day of school." He smiled at them. "I'm actually worried about being sorted too. We didn't have that back in America."

"You're one of the American foreign exchange students?" A girl questioned. "What's your school like?"

"Oh yeah, how is it different than our school?" Another person asked.

"I think he'll be just fine." Lorcan said when he peeked his head out of their compartment. "He's getting along really well with everyone." He watched as Benjamin talked about his old school. A girl with short black hair poked her head into the compartment with a smile. "Oh, hey Alice! We were wondering where you went."

"I had to make sure my brother didn't buy too many sweets." She rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Is that the new American boy you've been writing to me about?" She questioned Eleanor as she glanced at Benjamin as he began to return to the group.

"Yup. He's a handful, but I think you guys will like him." She nodded her head at her best girl friend.

"Uh oh, here's trouble." Lysander muttered.

"Hm?" Eleanor questioned as she saw James walk by her compartment. She poked her head out, eyes narrowed, wishing she could cast a spell and sent the Gryffindor's pants on fire.

"Hello, Youngblood." He greeted Ben, who raised his eyesbrows.

"We going by last names? Chill." He bit into a chocolate frog after saying this. "What up, Potter?" He said it with as much distain as James. "Want some?" He waved the last piece of his chocolate frog to James, who shook his head. "Good." He plopped it into his mouth. "Anyway, not that this….chat…wasn't fun, but I got to get back to my compartment." He waved goodbye to the other students before walking off. "Ellie, I got you a chocolate frog." He smirked as James glared daggers at him.

"He looks angry." Eleanor said as Ben returned to the compartment. "What did you say to him?"

"He was the one who got all haughty with me. Callin' me by my last name and shit. Rude."

"James can be like that sometimes, but he's a nice guy." Lorcan told Ben. "Albus is a sweetheart. He's a bit quiet at times. I like Lily Luna as well, she's quite funny."

"You like her because she's partly named after your mother." Eleanor told them and they both nodded their heads. "Oh, Ben, this is Alice Longbottom. She's in Ravenclaw with me as well."

"Nice to meet ya!" He extended his hand

Ben propped up his legs on the seat, looking out the window at the scenery as it all passed by quickly. "We didn't get treat carts. We got fed when we got there, they'd have an assembly, then we'd go back to our dorm rooms. I hope you people do it far more….exciting here."

"Hogwarts is far different." Eleanor said after this.

"I hope. They always got pissy when I changed up my hair and eye color. God forbid I didn't anything more than that, like change my gender or something more fun." He smirked as he thought about it. "I liked to fuck around with the guys and change myself into a girl. I was pretty bored."

"Headmistress McGonagall will love him." Lysander chuckled as Ben beamed.

"You won't be bored here! We'll start your Quidditch training right away. I have a feeling you could be a great beater." Eleanor starting, eyeing Ben up and down. "A seeker just isn't you, you aren't built for that."

"He's not built for anything in Quidditch." James said, leaning against the door to their compartment.

"Oh, be quiet, James. No one cares what you have to say. Who is the Quidditch expert here? Not you." Eleanor snapped. "Benjamin would make a wonderful beater. He's built enough to hit the bludgers away. You worried he'll be better than you?"

"Psh, I'm not worried about an American beating my team." He crossed his arms. "They can barely make it far in the Quidditch World Cup."

"Mostly because we really don't care." Ben piped in.

"Well you will be caring this year!" Eleanor told him with fire in her eyes. "You'll be the best beater on whatever team you're on! You cannot be a Gryffindor though!"

"Like we'd let him be on our team." James commented and Benjamin rolled his eyes.

"Didn't think I needed your permission? Are all you Gryffindors this obnoxious? Your brother is way nicer, and cuter." Ben said and James looked angered by this comment.

"Stay away from Albus." He told him and stormed off. Ben started laughing loudly after this.

"God, I think I might have some fun here."

* * *

><p>"Woahhhhhh, the carriages are being pulled by…air?" Benjamin stared in awe at the dark carriages that would take them to Hogwarts, while the boats took the first years. "Holy….holy hell, that's so cool!"<p>

"Actually, Thestrals are pulling them. However, you can only see them if you have witnessed death." Lysander told Benjamin. "Our mother can see them. She says their wonderful creatures with a bad reputation." He climbed into his carriage with his brother and Alice, along with Alice's brother Frank, waving to them as it pulled away

"They sound pretty kickass to me." Benjamin said as he watched the carriages be pulled away. He felt Eleanor pull him along, and he followed her, climbing onto their carriage.

"I told you Hogwarts was amazing." She said smugly as the carriage began to move.

"I ain't calling you a liar, that's for sure." He said as he looked around, taking it all in. "What house do you think I'll be stuck in?"

"You worried?" She questioned and he shrugged, about to say more when the carriage stopped suddenly.

"Hold up!" James said, pulling Albus along. They both climbed onto the carriage, Albus sitting next to Ben and James sitting next to Eleanor. "Now we can go!"

There was a groan, who it was from was hard to tell, but it was audible.

"Potter, couldn't you have ridden in another carriage?" Eleanor questioned. "But not you, Albus. I enjoy sitting with you."

"Me too." Ben smirked and chuckled as James sent a glare his way.

"And miss an opportunity to bother you?" James replied, looking back to Eleanor. The two began to argue and both Albus and Benjamin sighed.

Benjamin rolled his eyes and stared off into the woods, hair turning black to match the mood of the ride. His grandmother always told him to pick a color and stick with it, but he preferred to change his hair and eye color at least five times a day. He had the ability to, why waste it? He liked to stand out. Blending in was far too mundane for him.

"You sure do change your hair a lot." James commented and Ben looked at him, his eyes switching to red, startling James a bit.

"He's just like Teddy." Albus said.

Ben smiled at him, starting to get excited again. "Kinda hope I can learn a few more tricks to take back home with me. I'm sure my old professors will miss me cutting up this year."

James rolled his eyes at this, starting to wish he let Albus sit next to Eleanor. "I hope you don't get placed in Gryffindor with me."

"I kinda hope I don't either." Ben replied quickly. "I'm sure Gryffindors aren't so bad, but if they're all like you, I'd rather be in another house."

Albus laughed at this, making Benjamin smile widely. "Don't be so mean to him, James, relax some." Albus told his brother after he stopped laughing.

"Where's Lily?" Eleanor questioned, confused when she didn't see the two boys younger sister.

"She wanted to ride with her friends." James told her.

"I did too, but no, I was dragged along with him." Albus muttered, glancing at his brother. "Guess I'll have to meet with Scorpius and Rose later."

"You can spend some time with your brother." James told him sternly and Benjamin and Eleanor exchanged glances. This carriage ride was extremely awkward for the both of them, and they were sure Albus felt the awkwardness as well.

"Gryffindors." Albus muttered, rolling his eyes. "If you want to be in that house, all you have to do is ask. The sorting hat will place you there, that's what my dad did." Albus told Ben quietly so Eleanor and James didn't hear.

"Really? Hmp..." Ben muttered, thinking it over. "I might just take my chances and see where I land."

"I did the same." Albus nodded his head.

"So, are there many rules in Hogwarts?" Ben questioned, catching Eleanor's and James' attention.

"Why?" James questioned, eyebrow raised.

"I need to know the rules so I can find ways around them and ways to bend them." He said with a small smile. "Rules are guidelines. I don't need to follow them, and I rarely do. My way of doing things tends to be best."

* * *

><p>"Woah…" Benjamin muttered as they walked into Hogwarts. "You guys never told me you went to school in a castle." He was absolutely in awe at the place. "My old school was magical, but this shit be trippin'."<p>

"Impressed?" Elenaor smirked, patting his back as they entered the Great Hall.

"Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He grinned, excited. "This is so amazing."

"It is, but, now we have to part ways. You have to go sit with the other foreign exchange students and wait to be sorted. Don't you dare cause any trouble." Eleanor chided before she went to the Ravenclaw table.

Ben felt a bit lost, but found his way to the correct table and sat down, still in awe over everything. The place was so large and open and the floating candles and moving pictures and ghosts were so amazing.

Yeah, his school had that stuff, sorta, but it was way better here. The other American students joined him, chatting about how different it was from their school. He joined in, but not as much as usual. He spotted the sorting hat and suddenly felt nervous.

"What house do you think you'll get?" One asked him. "I hope I don't get Slytherin."

"Same. I heard they were awful." Another one said.

"Ya know, if ya ask to be in Gryffindor, it'll put you there." Benjamin rested his chin on his elbow, glancing at the other Americans. They all looked surprised at this.

"You sure about that, Youngblood?" A male asked, eyebrows raised.

"I'm sure of it. Maybe you should just take what you get, Glenberg, and not be a baby about this." He replied, making a disgusting face at the male. He never got along with the male. "I'm not going to sit and worry about what house I'll be placed in. Whatever house it is, it's surely the best." He smirked as a few others rolled their eyes as a woman stood at the end of the hall.

"Guys, Slytherins aren't bad." Ellie Ann said, shaking her head. Her long blonde braid hit her back as her head shook. Her brown eyes looked slightly annoyed that her fellow classmates would believe such rumors. "They're rumors. The war caused a bad name to fall onto Slytherins, but honestly, are you going to mistreat them just because of what they're grandparents or parents did?"

"Welcome back, students, and welcome, new students, to Hogwarts." The woman spoke loudly and clearly. "I'm Headmistress McGonagall." She started into a speech that Ben, honestly, spaced out on. He snapped out of it when the first student was called to be sorted.

He noticed, as he watched them be sorted, that the sorting hat took it's time. On one student, it would say it instantly, on others, it often took longer. It spoke with them, said things out loud about the student for the whole hall to hear. He felt a little embarrassed for them, but he still chuckled when their faces turned red when their thoughts were spoken out loud.

"I guess we'll go last." Glenberg muttered to a younger American student as they continued to call the first years one by one up to the hat. Each house cheered as they got a new student, and it looked nice, to be welcomed like that. It took an awfully long time too. Benjamin was starving.

"Now, this is the first year of this program, but I'm sure many of you know we have a few foreign exchange students. Twenty of them, to be exact, all from Salem Academy in America. They will be sorted and I trust you all will help show them around, as they are extremely far from home, in a new country, and surrounded by people they do not know. Ellie Ann please come up my dear." McGonagall called up the fifth year girl, who looked back nervously before standing and walking up to the hat.

Ravenclaw.

The hat said it so easy, it seemed to be easy for each student.

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw. All three houses seemed to be the popular one. Not a single was a Slytherin, which dumbfounded Benjamin, but then again, he assumed they all asked to not be placed in the house.

Now he felt nervous as McGonagall looked to him. "Benjamin Youngblood. Come along my dear." He got up quickly and trotted up to the hat, plopping down and forcing his nervousness down his throat.

"What up, sorting hat?" He questioned to the hat, who just sighed.

"Oh, you're trouble." He muttered, making a few students laugh. "I was hoping you'd be easy, but, you aren't. I can tell you right now, you won't be a Ravenclaw."

"Awah darn." Ben chuckled, actually feeling a little better. "I don't care for where you place me, honestly."

"I know you don't. Hm, you're a metamorphmagus, eh?" The hat asked and he nodded his head, changing his hair color to white. "Just like your grandmother, I see. Doesn't it upset you that you don't have anyone closer to your age back home that is like you?"

"Uh, no." Benjamin started to not feel so good now. "It's chill."

"It does help you stand out, I see. You look an awfully lot like your brother. You must hate to be compared to him." The hat continued and Benjamin wanted him to shut up. "You want me to quit talking?"

"That'd be great." He muttered, glaring best he could at the hat. "Look, I'm starving and you need to speed this up. Don't have all night." He temper was cut short now. He didn't need his personal business stated to this entire school.

"Well I'm not done yet. You are not a Hufflepuff. While loyal, you tend to not make the right choices all the time. You are a troublemaker, which leaves Slytherin and Gryffindor as your options. Odd, that no other American student has been placed in Slytherin." The hat was just trying to piss him off now. "You like to taunt others and cause trouble. You'd be a great partner to James Potter, now wouldn't you?"

He swore he saw McGonagall sigh.

"Potter and I don't see eye to eye. I don't think he likes me much. That's a shame, because I am a lovely person." Ben smirked at James, who rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you have confidence in you, don't you?" The hat asked. "You're quite fearless as well….but I can see, you will deceive others to get what you want. You're extremely cunning with the smile and charm."

"Get on with it." Ben chided, ready to eat.

"Don't rush me."

"Dude."

"Slytherin!" The hat echoed the hall and then it was silent. Ben felt the hat be taken off his head, so he stood, running a hand through his hair and smirked. The Slytherin table, now out of their shock, cheered loudly while the other houses stared in shock, surprised the friendly American boy was chosen for Slytherin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the reviews! This chapter is a little choppy so I'm super sorry about that, but I wanted to show a little bit of each of his classes.**

* * *

><p>Benjamin felt the stares of the other American students on his back after the feast was over. They were whispering about him and how of course, he <em>would<em> get into Slytherin. He ignored them and followed the other new Slytherins and the Head Boy out of the Great Hall, where he took them to their common room and where they would be staying.

It was amazing. Truly amazing.

Their common room was under the lake! They had a giant squid in the lake! He could see it from the common room! He was amazed by it but he didn't get to relax for long, because he was ushered into his room. The four other males he shared a room with all looked at him like he had three heads.

"Good evening." One greeted Ben, then eyed his cat that was laying on Ben's bed. "That is your pet?"

"Oh, yes, this is Nick Fury, but you can just call him Fury. He got into trouble, so he only has one eye." Ben said as he reached over and patted the cat. It glared at him, but then started to purr. The other boys just rolled their eyes, and Ben knew sharing a room with them was going to be _fun_.

* * *

><p>He woke up the next morning groggy but he got out of bed. He changed into his uniform, which he wasn't too fond of. Sweater vests and long sleeve white undershirts with dress slacks were just not him. He pushed the sleeves up to his elbows, feeling much better.<p>

"Bye bud, be good." He told his cat before grabbing his bag and leaving his room.

"Good morning." Albus greeted him when he made it down the stairs to the common room. "Eleanor wanted me to make sure you made it to breakfast all right."

"Ellie's real sweet. You going to be my tour guide?" He questioned, more than happy to spend time with the cute boy. His hair turned bright pink at this.

"I'll leave that to Ellie, but I'll walk to the Great Hall with you. By the way, this is Scorpius, my best friend, and Rose, my cousin." Albus introduced Ben to a male with bleach blond hair and an annoyed look on his face, and to a girl with curly red hair with a smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you." He said, shaking their hands before following them to the Great Hall. "So, when can I wear my normal clothes?"

"When you aren't in classes." Rose replied, glancing at him. "Why? Are you not used to uniforms?"

"No, we wear them back in America, just, not usually sweater vests. I'm just happy to know I can wear normal clothes. My old school wouldn't allow it. Our dress code was so strict. I'd get in trouble for the rips in my jeans all the time." He continued, feeling like he was rambling.

"Rips in your jeans?" Scorpius looked a little bit confused at this.

"I wear a lot of ripped jeans." Ben told them with a smile. "I got to take care of kids a lot, so, my jeans get destroyed. They're pretty active children."

Scorpius looked at Ben with a bit of disdain in his eyes, but Rose elbowed him. "Don't be pretentious, Scorpius. Sorry, Ben, Scorpius was raised with such a posh lifestyle. He's still learning. I figured he'd know by now that everyone wears rip jeans but I guess he doesn't."

"Heh, no worries. I knew what Slytherin was going to be like." Ben shrugged. "So, am I allowed to sit with Ellie or do I need to sit with my house?"

"You can sit wherever, but normally people sit with people in their house." Rose answered him as they entered the great hall. "It's unusually to sit with people who aren't in your house. Why? Do you want to sit with people other than Slytherin?" She tilted her head slightly. "Oh! You probably want to sit with Eleanor, right? You're staying at her place on the foreign exchange program, yesh? What is it like living with her family? I bet all they do is talk about Quidditch…wait, are you dating her?" Rose rambled.

"It's great living with them, and we are not dating. Perfect! Thanks for walking with me!" He smiled before he hurried over to Ellie, who was sitting with the twins. He plopped down next to her, startling her. She looked at him, then at his bright pink hair which was messy. She rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through it, trying to make it look neat.

"He's strange." Scorpius said with raised eyebrows.

"I like him." Albus told them as they went to their usual spot. Albus took a while to warm up to new people, but the male was a little strange, and it was interesting.

"Oh, I do too." Scorpius said. "But you can't deny the fact that he's strange."

* * *

><p>"You can't sit with me at lunch, okay?" Eleanor told Ben as he finished up his breakfast.<p>

"That's Ellie's study time." Lorcan told him with a small smile. "You will be too much of a distraction, which I enjoy, but she won't." Lysander nodded his head at this.

"So, no lunch with us. Dinner is fine though." Eleanor nodded her head. "After class, we need to practice so you can be ready for try-outs in October. I want you on that Slytherin Quidditch team."

"I can do that." He told her, eager to make her happy.

"You'll spoil her if you keep it up." Lysander told him as he finished his own breakfast.

"I don't mind. Eleanor is my best friend, I like to spoil her." Ben said with a smile. This made Eleanor very happy.

"So what is your schedule?" Lysander asked.

"Ah, here." He handed them the paper, because telling them it would be too complex.

"That's not so bad. You got mostly Thursdays and Fridays free." Lorcan said, looking at his schedule to see if they had any classes together. "I have Charms with you. I wish we had magical creatures together, I love that class!"

"I hope you're good at them." Ben told him, referring to charms.

"I have Divination and Astronomy with you. Also History of Magic." Eleanor told him, dotting the classes with a blue pen so he would remember. "I got a glimpse at Potter's schedule earlier. Seems you have Defense Against The Dark Arts and Potions with him, along with Divination."

"Oh, lovely. I can play some nice pranks on him in those classes…" Ben smirked, thinking of all the things he could do.

"Well, let's get going, Monday first block, History of Magic waits for no one." She stood and Ben followed her out of the class, whining a bit when she stepped onto a staircase. Ben hopped on before it started to move.

The moving stairwells were awful and he didn't want to even think about them. He already knew he was going to have issues with them. He just followed Eleanor closely, ignoring the whispers of other students.

"Is it weird that I'm hanging around you?" He questioned Eleanor, who didn't seemed bothered by the stares.

"No. Not that I think so. You can be friends with other houses, nothing is wrong with it." She told him and patted his cheek affectionately. "And when you become the best beater the Slytherin house has ever seen, then everyone will want to be your friend!"

Quidditch. God. These people were obsessed with it. OBSESSED.

"Whatever you want, my dear Eleanor." He told her and she smirked at him.

* * *

><p>Eleanor walked him to Potions class, told him to behave (to which he replied with changing his hair to bright orange) and left him. He was one of the first to arrive to the class, so he plopped down at a lab station, or whatever they called them here, and waited.<p>

The class filled up quickly, though no one sat with Ben. He didn't mind it too much, because mostly everyone in the class was Gryffindor except for maybe four Slytherins. They, of course, partnered with each other and he was the odd out. Being alone didn't bother him too much, he could work better along most likely.

That's when Potter rushed in. The Professor eyed him, telling him to "Take a seat Potter, and I hope you won't be late again" and James looked around, searching for a seat.

"Potter, since you were late, your picking of partners is slim. Go sit with Mr. Youngblood. Maybe he can teach you a thing or two about arriving early." The Professor told James, who just groaned and trudged over to Ben. Ben smirked widely as James sat down and glared at him.

"Hey, Potter." Ben greeted and James swore he saw the Slytherin's canine teeth grow sharp. "Lucky me, getting the great James Potter as my partner."

"Shut up, Youngblood." James growled back, angry that he got stuck with the American.

* * *

><p>"This class is bullshit." Ben muttered as he watched Eleanor play with the magic orb, trying to see into the future. She was at a small round table next to him with Alice. Ben was by himself at his own table, bored out of his mind.<p>

"Potter, you are looking bored." The professor said, looking at James, who sat by himself at a table. "Move over there with Mr. Youngblood." The male groaned, but stood, grabbing his bag, and moved over to Ben's table.

"Hey, bestie." Ben smirked and James rolled his eyes, as his cousins, Molly and Fred, both laughed at him for being paired with the Slytherin.

"Now…" The teacher began talking and Ben zoned it out, doodling on his paper until she pointed at him.

"What?" Ben questioned, giving her an odd look.

"She just predicated you as the student that will die this year." Alice told him and he just looked at her.

"Well…" He muttered, sighing. "This isn't that surprising anymore..."

"Don't worry, it never comes true." James replied, doing little to make Benjamin feel better. He decided to brush it off, because the professor was basically a mad woman.

* * *

><p>Benjamin assumed that Defense Against the Dark Arts would be a dark classroom with a scary teacher.<p>

He was wrong.

Which, honestly, wasn't that surprising but still.

Everything on the professor's desk was purple. He just stared at the desk, trying to figure out how she got everything purple, when she walked into the classroom.

She was a fairly normal looking woman. She had black hair up in a bun and purple glasses and an entirely purple outfit. "Hello, students." Her voice was light and she sounded nervous. "Let me introduce myself properly, I am Professor Selwyn. I will be teaching you defense against the Dark Arts. I hope we all have a great year." She smiled, seemingly friendly. "Now class, open your book to page three hundred and ninety-four."

* * *

><p>Benjamin felt like napping after he left the class. All the professor did was talk and read straight from the book. He wanted to do some magic, not read. He thought being here meant he got more hands on learning, but that class was not the case.<p>

"Youngblood!" Eleanor called out and Ben looked around for her before he spotted her in the crowd. "Don't forget, we are practicing Quidditch today."

"Ellie, I'm so tired. Can I take a nap first?" He questioned, his voice getting whiney. "That last professor was a total bore."

"You need to wake yourself up." She grabbed ahold of his arm and pulled him along with her. "We've got until November to get you in shape. Well, technically, October, since you need to get on the team and make it through practice."

"Shouldn't you worry more about preparing yourself?"

"I'm always ready for Quidditch. I want you on this team so you can kick James' ass." Eleanor balled her fist, looking determined.

"Fine, fine, if it makes you happy." He let himself be pulled as other students looked at them like they were crazy.

He came to find out, some students were very strict about who they choose to be seen with. Some only stuck with other students in their house, and some didn't care. Ben was one who didn't care. His only real friend was Eleanor.

"Where are you two running off to?" Albus questioned as they hurried past him and Scorpius.

"I'm going to make Benjamin the best beater the Slytherin house as ever seen!" Eleanor exclaimed excitedly, stopping to chat with them. "Are you two going to try out?"

"We prefer to sit in the stands and make snide comments about the others." Scorpius shrugged and Ben laughed loudly. He liked Scorpius, he was snarky. "Still, I'm going out to be keeper this year, but I'll sit out this practice."

"We are quite good at that." Albus agreed with a small smirk.

"Well you'll get to make fun of Ben, because he's getting on that team!" Eleanor was far too hyped about this. Ben didn't want to let her down.

"I can do it!" He exclaimed, trying to pump himself up.

He really didn't want to let Eleanor down.

"You guys want to come watch?" Eleanor asked and they two fourth years looked at each other and nodded their heads. They joined them as they headed to the field.

* * *

><p>"Why is he here?" Ben questioned as James and two of his friends joined them on the field.<p>

"Ignore them. They're here to cause trouble, but you're training with me." She told him, keeping her chin up. "Now, every morning, you'll be joining me for a jog. We have to do it early and get back in time for class or we'll get in trouble."

"I dunno…" Ben murmured. "Fine fine, I'll do it. Whatever makes you happy." He told her and stretched, cracking his back just as James, Fred, and Frank walked by. "Potter, what are you doing here? Couldn't get enough of me in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"I have more than enough of you. I'd like to have less, actually." James replied snidely. "We're allowed to practice here just as much as you are."

"Just stay out of our way." Eleanor told him and looked back to Ben, who was holding his bat tightly.

"Am I allowed to hit other players?"

"Oh, I wish." Eleanor muttered, glaring at the back of James' head. "Now, get ready, because when I let the bludger loose, because I'm only letting one go, you know it'll go crazy. It actually helps that James and his little groupies are here. You can practice and protect them from it."

"Can't promise that." He said as he put his goggles on. He climbed on his broomstick as Ellie let the bludger lose. She climbed on her broomstick after releasing the snitch and both took off. James and his friends quickly joined them in the sky.

"This could turn out horribly." Albus told Scorpius, who just nodded his head.

"Oh, here you two idiots are." Rose said as she walked over to them and plopped down next to Scorpius. "What are we doing?"

"We were watching Benjamin and Eleanor practice." Scorpius explained. "But James and his friends decided to join in."

"Interesting." Rose murmured, resting her hand on her knee and watching closely as the bludger flew towards Eleanor. Ben quickly slammed his bat into it and sent it flying. "Oh. He's got muscles." Rose grinned. "How did he get into Slytherin with the rest of us? Maybe he's one of those people that you need to get to know before he shows his true colors? Oh, god, I hope he's not an asshole. We already have one in the group, I can't take another." She muttered, looking to Scorpius, who just rolled his eyes.

"Everyone asks that." Albus said as he thought about the other students that were in the house with them. Benjamin was far friendlier and open than many of the others. He was more of a Gryffindor, if anything, but he was sure that once they got to know Ben more, they'd see why the hat placed him in Slytherin.

"I don't see how he got in." Rose said as Ben slammed his bat into the bludgers again, this time it smacked right into James, almost knocking him off his broom.

"Oh, terribly sorry, Potter." Ben called out in a sarcastic tone, and flew by the trio sitting in the bleachers, laughing loudly.

"I can see it." Scorpius told them, nodding his head. "He'll make a good addition to the Quidditch team. Not as great as an addition as me, but, a close second."

"I'll get you, Youngblood!" James shouted and flew after him. Ben's laughed echoed around them and they heard the crack of his bat against the bludgers and James' scream at Ben as the bludger flew at him.

"Play the game, Potter!" Ben called back as one of James' friends, his cousin Fred, slammed a bludger towards Ellie.

"Ben!" Ellie shouted as she saw it come near her. She was so close to catching the snitch!

"I got your back." He told her as he hit the bludger back, his hit hard and powerful. His grip on his bat was tight and he grinned when Fred had to dodge out of the way to avoid getting hit.

"Got it!" Eleanor screamed as she grabbed the snitch. She grinned at Ben, who flew towards her.

"Ha, yes!" He grinned happily as Eleanor smiled widely at him.

"You were great today!" She told him, excited by the whole practice. "You slammed that bludger hard!"

"I was aiming for Potter, not goin' lie." He told her as they lowered themselves down. "But thank you."

"This is going to be a great school year for us." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"OW!" He shouted as a bludger hit him on his side. He fell off his broom, which was almost to the ground so the fall wasn't that bad, and hit the ground with a thud. "F-Fuck…."

"Are you okay?!" Eleanor dropped to the ground quickly and dropped her broom, hurrying over to him.

"I'm fine…" He groaned, slowly standing, but holding his side. "You're okay, right?"

"Yes, of course I'm fine! I wasn't the one that got hit by one of those things. Who the hell hit him with it? We're obviously done with practice! I got the snitch!" She shouted at the three, reaching for Ben's bat. "Lemme come up there and beat some sense into you!"

"It was an accident." James shrugged.

"Well it won't be an accident when I knock you out!" She screamed up at him and Ben patted her shoulder, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it. I'll get him back later. Too many witnesses right now." He glared at James. Ellie dropped the bat and picked up her and Ben's brooms.

"Fine. You three can put all the equipment up. Let's go Ben." She put her arm around him and he leaned a bit on her, making it less painful for him to move. James glared at Ben as they walked off the field. "Are you sure you're okay? You had no protective equipment on really..."

"It'll be fine. I have tons of little siblings. I'm used to being beat up." He told her with a sigh.

"Are you okay?" Rose questioned, meeting them once they put their brooms up. Scorpius and Albus were behind her, looking at him.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." Ben brushed it off and stood on his own now. "Your brother is such a dick though." He told Albus, who agreed.

"You did very well." Scorpius said with a head nod. "Your hits were hard and strong. You'll make the team if you play like that all the time."

"Let me see your side." Eleanor said, reaching for his sweater.

"Its fine, Ellie." He moved away from she glared at him, so he gave in quickly. She lifted up his sweater then his undershirt, wincing when she saw his side.

"Oh god, Ben, that looks horrible." She looked at his already bruising side. It looked horrible and painful. "I'm going to get James for this!"

"I'll take care of him." He pushed his clothes back down over his side. "I have a decent pain tolerance. It really doesn't hurt that bad, but Potter will pay for this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry about the delay in updating, but this one won't be updated too too too often. Possibly once every two weeks? Sorry, but Harry Potter takes me a while to write.**

* * *

><p>Benjamin watched as James carefully measured out an ingredient for a potion they were assigned to create.<p>

It was two weeks after the incident on the Quidditch field.

James had suspected foul play the first week, but Benjamin wasn't an idiot. He waited it out until James became comfortable again and wasn't suspecting any attacks form Ben.

"Are you sure it said ¾ cups?" James questioned Benjamin, who just nodded his head.

No, it said a tiny pinch of the ingredient, but hey, James was an idiot for trusting in his Slytherin partner, whom he had injured two weeks prior. The second the Gryffindor male added the ingredient, it exploded in his face. His entire head was now blue.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed, almost falling out of his seat. He wiped his face as Benjamin laughed loudly, along with a few other students. He rubbed his face, getting some of the blue off, but it was in his hair, and it was much harder to get out there.

"Dude, are you okay?" Ben asked, trying to sound concerned. "Oh, man, you added the wrong thing! It was a pinch of the blue ivy and ¾ cup of the will water!"

"I asked you like, three times about the blue ivy!" James exclaimed, pissed at Ben. The Slytherin must have planned this!

"I must have read it wrong. My bad." He said nonchalantly with a shrug. "Water will wash it off."

* * *

><p>Water did not wash it off.<p>

"What happened to your brother?" Scorpius asked Albus at lunch. They all looked to the Gryffindor table, where James was sitting with his bright blue hair.

"Accident in potions." Ben said as he took a bite of his food. A slow smirk crept onto his face when the three younger Slytherins looked at him.

"What it really an 'accident'? Or was this on purpose?" Rose questioned, eyebrows raised. During lunch, Ben usually just listened to them talk, and even after two weeks of him sitting with them at lunch, she still didn't know much about him.

"Ah, that is a secret." He smirked more widely now. "If Potter wants to play, I'll play. When he's decided he's had enough, I'll stop."

At this time, a few owls flew into the room, dropping off letters to everyone. Ben turned away as James received a few letters. The letters began to shake, before exploding open.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER! HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON ME WITH THAT HUFFLEPUFF GIRL! I SHALL NEVER SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN!" A shrill female voice screamed. Multiple howlers went off, all saying the same thing. James looked terrified once they were done and exploded.

"W-What?" He squeaked, confused by what just happened.

"Always knew Potter was a man-whore." Eleanor sneered, looking over her shoulder.

"Who have you been snogging?" Fred questioned James, snickering with the others.

"No one! I wasn't with a girl in Hufflepuff. I wasn't with any girls recently at all." He looked confused, and still a bit frazzled.

"I knew you were a bit of a player, Potter, but aren't Gryffindors supposed to be loyal?" Ben questioned, catching James' attention.

"You sent them, didn't you?" Rose questioned Ben quietly, once the male turned back around to face them. "Honestly, you're the only one to do it. Well, actually, now that I think about it, James probably does piss a lot of people off. Lily could have sent them even."

"Might have." Ben told her. "Ya know he burned Ellie's hair to the roots one year?" He questioned them. "I cannot allow that, and him hitting me with a bludger, to go unpunished."

"You are cruel. I enjoy that." Scorpius smirked at this.

"You've been here not even a month and you've already caused my brother trouble." Albus said, glancing at James. "He did deserve it though."

"I only dish it out when the person deserves it. Or if I'm bored." Ben looked amused by himself, before his eye caught the letter that was next to his things. "Oh, I got a letter?" He reached for it, and it began to shake. "Oh no."

"BENJAMIN. WHERE IS THE GLITTER GLUE? CLARA HAS A PROJECT DUE NEXT WEEK AND I REFUSE TO WASTE MY MONEY ON GLITTER GLUE." The howler screamed in a deep male voice.

"That's my brother." He told them as the howler exploded. He pulled out his own paper and quill. "My little sister, Clara, tends to hide things. She's trouble, I tell ya." He chuckled as he began to write a reply. "My guess would be under her bed. I swear, sometimes I think she might actually be a witch."

"You have nine siblings, right?" Albus thought back to lunch he had with Ben in Diagon Alley.

"Yup! I got my step siblings on my mom's side, Trent and Millie. Then my half-siblings Chris and Gigi. I don't see them too much. I don't really see my mom much, actually." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a picture he had. He pointed each of them out. "My mom and step father." He pointed to a woman with her hair in a long braid. She had light brown hair and very light green eyes hidden behind her glasses. She was smiling widely as her husband had his arm around her, his hair short and black. The two older kids looked nothing like her, but the two youngest were the spitting image of her.

"Why don't you see her often?" Albus questioned.

"She's a muggle. Parents divorced when I was young and my pops charmed her and wiped her memory of magic….since I'm a metamorphmagus, I changed myself a lot when I was younger. It kinda made it hard for my dad to really wipe her memories, and sort of replace them. Well….yeah, it's not really that bad at all. She remembers all the good stuff."

"Oh..." Rose mumbled, feeling bad for him. She was going to say more, probably say more than needed, but Ben cut her off before she could start.

"It's fine, no worries!" He exclaimed. "Lemme show you my pop's side." He pulled out another picture, this one moving. "This is my dad." He pointed towards a male who had blond hair and striking blue eyes. He was smiling at Ben's stepmother, a beautiful woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. "That's my step mom, she's a squib. Right here is my brother, Mitchell." He pointed to a male who looked just like the father. He crossed his arms and sighed at the male next to who looked just like Mitchell and Ben's father. "And these are my half-siblings. Greg, Kenneth, Marcie, and my little angel, Clara!" He cooed the last name and they looked to the young girl, who had short brown hair and green eyes. She was being picked up and spun around by the male Ben left unnamed

"Who is the boy?" Albus pointed. Ben quickly pulled the picture back and stuffed it back into his pocket.

"Ah, yeah, that's me." He looked embarrassed.

"That boy looked nothing like you though." Rose furrowed her brows.

"I look too much like my brother and father, and my grandfather. I don't like looking like them much, and I have the ability to change what I look like, so, I do." He shrugged and finished up his letter. "I wish I looked more like Clara. She's an angel." He continued.

Eleanor stood and was waiting by the door. She nodded her head and Ben gathered his things, putting them in his bag. "Sorry, but Ellie's waiting. I'll see you guys later." He waved before hurrying off to join the girl. He showed her his letter and she nodded her head. They both left, Ben laughing about something.

"I like him." Rose said after a few moments. "He's very different."

* * *

><p>Benjamin didn't want to hate Defense Against the Dark Arts.<p>

He really didn't.

However, the class was as boring as boring got. Even Herbology with Professor Longbottom was more entertaining. The professor just read from the book. She claimed it was how her mother taught just before she was tragically killed. Maybe reading theories all day is what killed her?

He wasn't too sure. He didn't even think her mother was dead. Maybe she knew her child would grow up to be the weirdest lady alive and just ran off? Maybe got locked away because she was crazier than her daughter?

Whatever the case was, he wasn't really learning anything. He had to go to Eleanor to re-teach him everything, because he couldn't deal with just theory. He needed hands on to learn anything at all.

"Youngblood, you look sleepy. I do hope you stay awake. I would hate to give you detention." The professor scolded and he grumbled a 'sorry I'll get more sleep tonight' before glancing at James, who still had blue hair. He decided he'd give James a break for a little while. Let him get comfortable again, and then come back full force with more pranks and tricks.

He was happy it was Friday and he could catch up on his homework, possibly. He thought that he'd get a head start on it after this class was over, but Eleanor was waiting for him outside the class, ready to talk Quidditch.

Alice was with her today, which was not that surprising. Eleanor had many of her classes with the short, black haired female. She was extremely adorable and had a nice light voice. She was a bit shy, but Ben hoped she was warming up to him.

"Ready to practice today?" Eleanor questioned.

"I was hoping to actually do my homework before I flunk out of this place, but sure, why not?" He shrugged and Eleanor rolled her eyes, walking away. Alice and Ben followed quickly.

"Alice and I will tutor you after practice today, okay? You know you can get Albus to help you with some classes. He's a year younger but he's smart." Eleanor told him, glancing over her shoulder at the now blue haired boy. "Benjamin, pick a color."

"Fine." He muttered, making his hair green and eyes gray. "Can't do red eyes because it freaks people out. How boring." He pouted at Alice, who smiled a bit.

"Get serious! Try outs are less than a week from now!" Eleanor stressed.

"Do not worry, my fair princess, I will make the team." He smirked as she turned and smacked his arm. "Hey now, don't go hitting me! I was being completely serious. You are a princess!"

"And what does that make you?" Alice questioned, head tilted slightly. "Her knight in shining armor?"

"I don't and won't play a romantic role in Ellie's life." He shook his head at this. "I'm more like the dragon that protects her from those pathetic knights."

* * *

><p>"So, that's why that spell doesn't work as well as this one." Alice told Ben over breakfast Saturday morning. She was teaching him Charms, because she was amazing at it and Ben was not.<p>

"Uh…" He mumbled, jiggling his leg as he stared at the book she was reading out of.

"Benjamin, I really don't understand how you excel so greatly at transfiguration and get so into detail about it and manage to outdo all of us in it, yet you cannot learn about Charms or Potions." Eleanor sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face, a little frustrated with him.

"Ellie, I found something I was good at and went with it. My family is kinda a one trick pony. Dad is charms, brother is potions and herbs and all that healer stuff, and I am transfiguration. Grandma is everything but that's because she's way smarter than all of us." He rambled, making Alice giggle. "I know you lot are all well rounded, but, I'm not." He told the Ravenclaws with a sigh. "However if you need someone pranked, I'm your guy. I won't let anyone mess with you four."

"I feel protected already." Lorcan said with his hand over his heart. Ben laughed at this and McGonagall came up behind him, eyebrows raised.

"I do hope you're working on your homework for my class, Mr. Youngblood." She said and he turned around quickly.

"I already have yours done!" He exclaimed with a huge smile. He loved McGonagall to pieces. "Your class is my favorite, right up there with Hagrid's class."

"Sweet talking will not work with me. I will not teach you how to turn into an animal, Mr. Youngblood." She said and he groaned, voice whiny.

"But McGonagall, I could be a dragon!"

"That's exactly why I will not teach you. Heaven forbid you will burn down this school. Boom." She said with an eye roll. "Ms. Wood, I do hope you will keep him under close surveillance."

"Of course, professor." Eleanor nodded her head and smacked Benjamin over the head. He whined, hair turning blue at this. She turned away and left them and Ben watched her.

"Dude, she's the baddest bitch in this school." He said excitedly. "McGonagall is so cool!"

"I knew you'd like her." Lysander said with a smirk.

"Love her." Ben told him, nodding his head. "Her class is so much fun. My old transfiguration teacher back in America was so boring and strict. He always gave us such easy work and I was done with it so quickly. She actually challenges me. She reminds me of my grandma."

"You really love your grandma, don't you?" Alice asked him, finding it sweet how fondly he spoke of her.

"Oh, yeah, tons! She taught me a lot and she's just like me. It was hard enough for me when I was younger with my….ability…but I dunno what I would've done without her there to raise me through it." He continued. "Plus, she made me tons of dragon stuff! Hagrid loaned me this book about dragons an-"

"Enough." Eleanor told him, stopping him mid-ramble. "I don't think I can take more dragon talk…" She sighed, rubbing her temples. She always knew far more than she wanted.

"I get excited easily." He told her, feeling embarrassed. "Dragons are really cool though. Hey, you talk about Quidditch all the time."

"Do I really sound like that though?" She asked and everyone nodded their head.

"I don't mind. Tell me about dragons, Ben." Alice nodded her head as Ben smiled widely. He launched into long detailed discussion of the differences of dragons across the continents. Alice just listened, nodding her head every so often during his ramble.

"You know an awful lot about dragons." She mumbled after he was done. "I really didn't think you had all of that in you, honestly."

"When I like something, I tend to go all out in it." He admitted sheepishly. "My grandma actually sent me this cool book that has every dragon ever recorded in history in it! Best birthday present ever." He nodded his head excitedly and Eleanor froze.

"Birthday?" She questioned, looking at him. "Your birthday isn't until….oh my god!" She exclaimed, catching a few other students' attention. "Ben, why didn't you tell me that I forgot your birthday?"

"When was your birthday?" Lorcan asked, head tilted.

"September thirteenth." He answered.

It was September twentieth.

"Ben!" Eleanor exclaimed, embarrassed. "I'm your best friend and I couldn't even remember your birthday. Oh my god, and I was so mean to you when we practice that day too!"

"Don't worry about it, seriously." He shook his head. "I really don't celebrate my birthday that much anyway. Ellie, it's not that big of a deal. I didn't mention it, so I didn't expect any of you to know."

"How did you get sorted into Slytherin?" Alice questioned, shaking her head. She would expect a Slytherin to be hateful about it but Ben was so carefree.

"People ask me that quite a lot." He replied.

"Wow, Eleanor, forgetting your best friend's birthday?" James snickered as he walked by. Ben wasted no time wiping out his wand and pointing it at James' feet. The boy slipped and fell immediately.

"Graceful as ever, Potter." He called with a smirk and put his wand away. James turned and glared at him as he stood up.

"You want to go, Youngblood?"

"That's not a very fair fight, is it, Potter?" Benjamin replied. "You can barely walk without slipping, you might want to sit down for a bit."

"Hey, enough you two." Frank Longbottom called, standing from his spot at the Hufflepuff table. "No need to be causing a racket during breakfast."

"You're right, Frank." Ben said, keeping his smirk on his face. "Hey Ellie, let's go to the library. Hagrid told me there's tons of books about dragons there!"

"Fine fine." She gathered her things into her bag and stood, saying goodbye to their group as Ben bounced happily on his feet. "You're just like a puppy." She told him as she straightened her sweater out. She was thankful she had no classes today and she was able to wear her favorite sweater and nice warm pants. She began to walk and Ben followed, until he slipped. Eleanor was caught in the spell as well and she yelped, but Ben caught himself from falling, and caught her before she hit the ground.

"What's your problem, Potter?" Ben growled, turning to glare at the male. His hair was now bright red and he was more than ready to go after him. "Ya almost knocked Eleanor over."

James actually looked a little scared, but he wasn't going to back down with people looking at him. He stood up straighter, glaring back at Ben.

"Ben, come on." Eleanor tugged at his arm, feeling awkward with everyone staring at them. "We don't want to get in trouble. Just leave him to look like an ass."

"Not that hard, he does it all by himself." He muttered and turned back to Eleanor, listening to her. She pulled on his arm, keeping a firm hold on it as they walked out of the hall. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Eleanor patted his arm to reassure him that she was fine. "Are you okay?"

"Of course. Potter doesn't get to me at all. I just like to strike fear into his heart. I know he thinks he's all that but I'm about to knock him off his throne."

"Please do." Eleanor said as she guided him to the library. "Oh, hello Albus." Eleanor said as they opened the door to the library. The male glanced up at them, his green sweater matching his eyes perfectly.

"Oh, morning you two." He greeted them, getting out of their way. "Going to work on some homework?"

"We might, but we're mostly here for dragon books for Ben." Eleanor nodded towards Ben, who nodded his head happily.

"Sounds interesting. Better than writing a paper on different kinds of seaweed." He made a face and chuckled. He waved goodbye and left, leaving the two to go into the library.

"You know, Benjamin, I really am puzzled at how you got into Slytherin." He was extremely kindhearted and caring, to her, anyway.

"You wanna hear some advice my dad gave me?" He asked her, confusing her a bit, but she nodded her head. "My father has always taught me to be nice first, because you can always be mean later, but once you've been mean to someone, they won't believe the nice anymore. So be nice, be nice, until it's time to stop being nice, then destroy them." He smirked at the end, nodding his head. "I only get one shot to make a good impression. If I'm nice, people are more willing to assist me later on, and everyone needs a good group of allies in this life."


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, Ben, I heard you talking about your family with Al and the others." A male said, sitting down next to him. "My sister lives over in America. I think she knows your family."

"Really?" He questioned, interested. He wasn't expecting someone here to know his family.

"Yeah, what's your mother's name?"

"Darleen, Darleen Hart." He replied and the male nodded his head.

"Yup, that's her. My sister is working at this muggle store right now while she waits for her application to go through for America's Ministry of Magic. She says your mom comes into her store all the time and she's a real sweet women." The male smiled at Ben, nodding his head.

"Yeah, my mom is really nice. She's a good woman." Ben felt a pang in his chest and suddenly he wasn't feeling so good.

"She ain't a witch?"

"Nah, she's muggle." He said and he saw the professor look at him. He felt nervous suddenly, so he changed his hair to black, hoping maybe to blend in with the other students since his previous hair color was bright blue.

"Youngblood, do not go changing your appearance in my classroom."

"Aw, but, professor, what if I turn my hair purple? You like purple, don't you?" He questioned, hoping to get on her good side. She didn't look too pleased with him. He looked down, staring at his book to avoid her glare.

"I would prefer it, Youngblood, you keep your appearance normal when you are in my classroom. No odd colors at all. Actually, I would like you to go back to your natural appearance."

"I can't do that." He told her sternly, shaking his head.

"And why not?" She questioned, approaching his desk.

"I just can't. I don't want to go to my natural look. I prefer this." He told her and she glared.

"Well I guess you'll just spend your free time in detention with me today. My office, don't be late." She told him before going to the front and starting class.

* * *

><p>"Ellie, I got detention. It shouldn't be that long." He told her and she sighed, shaking her head.<p>

"Fine. I'll wait out here for you. Okay? I've got to read this book and do a little homework anyway, and then we can go hit the field."

"Got it!" He grinned and hurried off to Professor Selwyn's office. He knocked on the door gently, and heard a quiet 'come in dear'. He opened the door and froze.

Everything was purple.

And bunnies were everywhere.

He tried to play it off and not looked so terrified for his life as he sat down at a desk she had for him. She had paintings all over the walls of bunnies. Granted, they were cute, but it was freaky.

"My mother had a collection of cat plates…..I prefer bunnies. They are so cute. Don't you agree?"

"Oh, yes ma'am." He nodded his head as she stood from behind her desk and walked around it slowly. He watched her, on edge. Something didn't feel right. Something told him to run.

"You've only been here for a month, correct, Mr. Youngblood?"

Mr. Youngblood?

"Uh, yes ma'am."

"And you were sorted into Slytherin? The only American student to do so. I would think, since you are in Slytherin, that you would behave better. I really do not want to punish you, but if I don't, you'll just continue your troublesome behavior." She put a piece of paper in front of him, and handed him a quill. "I would like you to write 'I must not stand out' ten times. You need not any ink, and once you are done with it, you may leave."

Oh, well, that wasn't so bad. He started to write it quickly, excited that the punishment was easy.

That's when he felt a stinging feeling on his right hand. "O-Ow…" He mumbled as he slowed down writing. He saw the light pink letter on his hand and he stared at her, now knowing why he felt the need to run.

"Come on, Youngblood. Eight more times." She watched him carefully. He wrote more slowly now, hoping maybe it would stop, but it didn't. By the time he was done, he had the words on his hand, but they were starting to fade like tiny scratches often did. "Wonderful! Now, if you decide to act up again, I'll have to make the punishment more severe. You're free to go."

He got up and grabbed his bag, not looking back as he hurried out of the office. He rubbed his hand, seeing that his hand showed no signs of what just happened. He was going to tell Eleanor what happened, but he let it go, not wanting to cause a ruckus when the pain had already faded and he didn't have any scarring.

* * *

><p>He kept quiet about it as he continued on with his life at Hogwarts. He didn't want to cause a scene, though that was what he was good at, still, he tried to forget about it. She watched him like a cat would a mouse, just waiting for that moment she could catch him doing wrong.<p>

Eleanor had her head in Quidditch and he decided to take a lesson from her and focus in on it as well.

The rest of September flew by and it was mid-October before Benjamin knew it. He hadn't had many incidents that were too memorable which he supposed was okay. From what he heard from other students, Hogwarts had a habit of throwing you for a loop when you least expected it, though they all doubted their school time here would be as bad as their parents' experiences during their school time.

Benjamin highly doubted the Dark Lord would come crashing down so that was a good thing, he supposed.

James Potter wouldn't be able to defeat him anyway.

Speaking of James Potter, the little shit was catching onto Benjamin's pranks, finally, and was starting to fight back. So far, Benjamin's favorite pair of jeans were bright pink, Professor Longbottom gave him a T on his paper since all the words were magically gone, and Benjamin had an attack of screamers at lunch for three days straight.

"Potter will get it." He muttered at lunch, face in a scowl, an expression he didn't wear often. "I'll have to go all out on him. Hm..." He thought as he doodled across a paper he had out. He seemed to be deep in thought and was just doodling to keep his hands doing something.

"What are you muttering about?" Rose questioned, peering over his shoulder as she sat down. "What are you drawing?"

"What?" He questioned, snapping out of his thoughts. "Revenge for Potter. Drawing?" He questioned and looked down at the drawing of the squid that was under the lake. "Sorry. My grandma says I do this all the time. I tend to zone out. I was super deep into my head."

"That's really good." She said now, pulling the paper away from him. "I hope your plan for James is as good as this." Her eyes scanned the drawing. It was rough but it was very good. Benjamin obviously had been drawing for a long time.

"I hope so. Uh, thank you." He seemed embarrassed that she was looking so closely at his rough doodle of the squid. She smiled brightly at him, her red curly hair bouncing as she giggled.

"You're all embarrassed now, aren't you Benny?" She giggled more and he ran his fingers through his hair.

"People tended to ignore my doodles. I have this nasty habit of drawing on everything when I get in the zone." He took the paper back from her and began again as Albus and Scorpius joined them. "Though I need to focus if my plan for Potter is going to work."

"What plan?" Albus questioned, brushing his brown bangs out of his face.

"Oh…nothing much. Say, you three think I could pull off Eleanor?" He asked, face lit up. All three looked at him and confused expressions. "This sounds creepy, but I've been watching how she moves and reacts and works since I've met her. I'm pretty confident I can morph into her for this prank I'm planning for Potter."

"With as much time as you spend with her, I doubt it'll be difficult for you." Scorpius told him, eager to see how this was going to go. "Won't being a female be difficult though?"

"Only problem with females is how delicate they can be with how they do things. Walking, touching, talking, are softer than most males. However, this is Ellie we're talking about, and try outs for Quidditch are starting soon, which means Quidditch season is upon us. Eleanor is not so gentle nor delicate during this season." He smirked, the plan working in his head. "Ha, this will be great. I'll get that Potter far better than he ever thought I would."

"Your smirking is worrying me." Rose muttered, seeing the dastardly smirk on the male.

* * *

><p>It was early Sunday morning and Benjamin was standing on the Quidditch field, yawning as the captain of the Slytherin team was talking to them about how this try out was going to go.<p>

Each house had their own corner of the field and he constantly glanced over to Eleanor, who was far too into this. He looked to the stands and saw Albus there, reading a book, with Rose right beside him. Bailey was a few seats away from them. She saw Ben look at her and waved, smiling brightly.

She was in his year and a real sweetheart. She always helped him back in America since she was the smartest in their year. Alice was next to her and waved at Ben as well.

"American, pay attention." The captain said, not remembering Benjamin's name. He apparently didn't think that Benjamin would make the team. Americans were apparently terrible at Quidditch.

The captain began talking again, telling them what they were going to do. Scorpius elbowed Benjamin, giving him a cheeky grin as Benjamin was called up along with the other beaters.

"Hit the hardest and guard the others, got it?" Was all the captain said. Benjamin supposed that's really all they needed to be told as he blew the whistle and they took off. Benjamin was going to get on this team, no matter what. A bludger flew straight for him and he slammed his bat into it. It was sent flying, almost knocking a Hufflepuff beater off of their broom.

"Oh, shit, sorry!" Benjamin called out to him. He knew it was a free for all up here, but the guy just got up there and was still trying to adjust himself. The Hufflepuff just gave him a thumbs up and sent the bludger flying back to Benjamin. Once again he hit it, sending it spinning at another Slytherin trying out for beater. They were hit in the chest with it and had to hold onto their broom for dear life.

Ben was knocked in the back by one. He was lucky the hit wasn't hard, but it threw him off a bit. He turned and saw Hugh, Alice's Gryffindor boyfriend, chuckling. The male hated Benjamin and the feelings were mutual.

Hugh was really jackass, honestly. He was a cocky bastard and it felt nice to hit that bludger as hard as he could and knock Hugh off of his broom. He was too busy laughing to notice it fly towards him. He was lucky another Gryffindor beater, his best friend Jack, noticed and caught his friend before he hit the ground.

He glanced to his captain and grinned. The male was laughing and giving Benjamin a thumbs up.

Yes.

It got more chaotic as they sent out the seekers to catch the snitch. This time around beaters had to protect their seekers. Benjamin had to remind himself that Eleanor was not on his team, and it was not his job to protect her. Lorcan and Lysander were trying out for beaters for Ravenclaw and they would protect Eleanor just fine, he hoped.

He focused on his seeker. He knew he had to beat out the other beaters and show he was the best. If he didn't make this team, he'd be pissed, and so would Eleanor. He raced and fought off every bludger that flew the seeker's way and got hit quite often by other beaters (mostly Hugh) but he wasn't a wimp and he refused to lose to them. Keepers and chasers were sent up next and it became far too crowded for Ben's liking.

He saw Eleanor dodged a bludger, almost falling off her broom in the process. James were there instantly, holding her broom in place and grinning at her.

"Need a prince charming?" He smirked as Ben high tailed it in their direction.

"More like I need a bat to whack your face in!" She exclaimed with a face red from her embarrassment. "Wonderful timing, Benjamin." She said as the male flew up next to her, bat in his hand.

"Problem here?" He questioned, glaring at James. He lifted his bat a bit, eyebrows raised. "You got over here pretty quick, Potter…were you watching my Eleanor?"

"She's not yours, Youngblood, and no, I wasn't!" James actually looked humiliated at this. "I just happened to be near her. I didn't want her falling to the ground."

"How sweet." He smirked at James, starting to understand why James taunted Eleanor so much and why he hated Ben so much. "But, I'm here, so, carry on." He waved him away and looked to Eleanor, who still seemed flustered. "C'mon Princess, head in the game!" He told her as he turned quickly, defending off a bludger that Hugh had sent towards him. He grinned at Eleanor and flew off back to his seeker, defending her, even if it meant getting hit.

He was used to things hitting him. His younger siblings were far more hyperactive than he was and they tackled him on a daily basis. A whistle was blown after thirty minutes of this and he felt relieved. He knew that the games could go on forever so he needed to work on his endurance, but he was way too worried about making the team this go round and it was stressing him out.

Everyone lowered themselves to the ground and started listening as their captains began talking again.

"We need more work, but everyone did decently." Ben's captain started with a head nod. Ben's hair went pale, slowly turning gray from the black it had been. Darker colors took more effort and energy and he was extremely tired. Just keeping up with how his face looked was difficult right now. "Youngblood." The captain called. "Better focus more on the game than your looks, got it? I don't need you distracted during the games."

Wait a second.

"You surprised me out there, I thought Americans couldn't play." He looked a little annoyed that he was wrong. Slytherins were prideful. "But you're good. I'll let you know the practice schedule soon." He nodded his head and turned to another student. Ben had to resist the urge to hug him or shout, so he just nodded his head and left for the locker room.

Once he put all his equipment away he went outside to see Eleanor standing there, waiting for him. "So? She questioned, eager.

"So what?" He asked, smirking a little. "Did you make the team?"

"Of course I did! I didn't even need to try out. What about you?"

"Welllllllllllllllllllll."

"Benjamin!"

"I made it, stop shoutin." He told her and she hugged him tightly.

"YES! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" He spun her around as she said this.

"Good, someone decent on the team." Scorpius said as he came out of the locker room. Hugh and James came out of the Gryffindor locker room and glared at Ben. "I can't wait until we play them."

"I can't wait to knock Hugh off his broom, again." Ben chuckled as he hugged Eleanor again, making James' face red. "I'm planning to win every game I play in." So Potter was getting jealous again? Hm.

"Except when you play against me." Eleanor pulled away from the hug and winked at him, smirking. "I'm the best player in this school, notice you are second best."

"I'm never second best." Ben told her with a head shake. "But I guess compared to you, I'm fine with second place. You are my princess."

"Damn straight." She nodded her head.

"You both did brilliant!" Alice's light voice chimed as she and Bailey joined them. "Really, you two were great. Tell me you made the team?"

"Sure did." Ben said proudly and Alice hugged him, then Bailey hugged him.

"You two were great." Bailey said excitedly. "Eleanor, you were absolutely amazing. I've never seen someone so fast on a broomstick before!" This made Eleanor beam.

"You'll have to excuse me, Hugh is probably hurt I came straight to you two." She said and patting Ben's cheek affectionately before she hurried off to her boyfriend. Bailey left as well, following Alice.

"They're both really sweet." Eleanor smiled as Ben agreed. "Now, let's get going. You have a potions test you need to study for!" She took his hand and pulled him past the other group.

"Bye Potter." Ben said in a teasing tone, and he swore he saw the smoke coming out of James' ears.

"Now all we have to do is make sure you stay on the team and work on our patronus charm!" Eleanor exclaimed happily. "It's the hardest charm we have to learn this year, you know."


	6. Chapter 6

Benjamin shivered a bit as he entered the Great Hall. He hated these cold October days, but he knew that tomorrow, November's freezing cold days would be upon them. He plopped down at his normal table for lunch, and pulled out his sketch book.

He was so tired from practicing the patronus charm. He had gotten it down, barely, but it was basically a ball of light, just like everyone else's. While it was effective, they all wanted to know what their patronus was.

Eleanor's birthday was in a couple of weeks, and he had no clue what to get her. She loved blue, purple, foxes and Quidditch. He didn't have much time to get her anything too special, if he did he might have made her a knitted fox plush. He began to sketch a fox, trying his best from memory. He was doing pretty decently when Albus sat next to him, which was unusual because he usually sat next to Scorpius.

"What at are you drawing?" He questioned, startling Ben.

"Sorry, I was zoned out. Uh, well, a fox. It's Ellie's favorite, and I'm not quite sure what to get her for her birthday, so I thought I'd draw her a fox and then water color it and kinda…I dunno, it's hard to explain." He told Albus as he continued to draw. "I kinda want the paint to be running and give it that sloppy but mystic look to it, you know? Not everything inside the lines."

"You never like to stay in the lines, do you?" Albus chuckled, watching him. It was calming to watch him draw and now he understood why Rose enjoyed it so much when he drew during lunch time. "James tells me Professor Selwyn watches you real closely."

"She does. Like a damn hawk." He complained with an eye roll. "Everything I do is wrong…but I don't really want detention with her. It blows."

"What does she make you do?" He questioned, looking to Ben now instead of the drawing. Ben glanced at Albus' green eyes and then back to his sketch book.

"Uh…makes you write stuff over and over again." He told him, partially being honest. "Just sucks. So, I'm planning on launching my master prank soon." He changed the subject quickly. "Your brother will not see it coming."

"Tell me how it goes."

* * *

><p>James sat next to Benjamin as they waited for the teacher to set up things in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ben glanced at him, wondering what he should launch the plan when James turned and glared at him.<p>

"What do you want, Youngblood?" He asked rudely, making Ben just sigh and roll his eyes. The male was on his case ever since he made the Quidditch team. "Trying to pull another prank on me?"

"Is there anyone who is as dramatic as you, Potter? You act like the world is crashing down around you. So what you got called out for being a player and that your hair turned blue for a spell?"

"I am not a player!" He exclaimed and hit Ben with his book. "I know it's you causing all these problems!"

"Eh! Don't hit me, you idiot!" Ben replied, trying to block James' hits. He hit James back, and the book flew out of James' hand and smacked Professor Selwyn in the back. She turned around quickly, shock and annoyance on her face.

"You two both have detention!" She declared.

"Way to go." James grumbled to Ben, who just rolled his eyes once more. His mind went straight for his brilliant plan to trick James. Now would be the perfect time to do it, if the crazy bat lady wasn't going to kill them with her detention.

James sighed as he sat in the empty room with Benjamin. They apologized profusely for the accident, and she decided that they should work out their issues be themselves, and left them in the classroom. He put his head on his desk until he heard a very feminine sigh. He glanced up, jumping back and falling out of his seat when he saw Ellie sitting there.

"Are you alright, Potter?" She questioned, a smirk on her lips.

"W-What?" He questioned, standing and looking for Benjamin. The male wasn't in the room at all, just him and Ellie. She sat on his desk, eyeing him.

"Wow, Potter, you got it bad." She shook her head and started to laugh.

"What's going on?" He put his chair right side up and sat down again, feeling like this might be another prank. Ellie scooted off his desk and put her hand on his shoulder as she walked behind him. Her arms around his neck and she ran her hands down his chest.

"I'm just testing a theory…" She murmured into his ear. She chuckled again when he turned red and froze. "You really do have it bad, don't you?"

"Have w-what bad?" He shivered at how close Ellie was to him.

"You like my dear Eleanor, don't you?"

"My dear Eleanor? Wait..." He turned, seeing Eleanor still standing there. "What the hell!?" James asked him, head swirling as Eleanor slowly turned into Benjamin.

"I've been watching Eleanor since I met her. It was difficult, but can you agree I've got her down perfectly, right?" James couldn't lie, he was fooled by Ben. "And yes, my dear Eleanor. I'm her best friend, and I'm not too excited for you trying to get your grimy hands on her. She is the princess and I am her dragon."

"Do you like her or something?" James questioned, starting to get annoyed.

"Obviously, I love her. Non-romantically, of course." He told James, who was relieved. "But man, it's plain as day you like her."

"Is it really?" His face went red and Benjamin felt pity for him. "I don't mean to be mean to her, it just sorta happens..."

"Gee, you're a little pathetic." Benjamin sat on a desk, eying James. "You need serious help."

"No shit, idiot." James grumbled, crossing his arms. "You aren't going to tell her?"

"Why would I do that? That's no fun for me." Ben smirked playfully. "I want to see how this all unfolds. Look, Potter, I don't want to hate you, and there's truly no reason for you to hate me. I'm not a threat to you at all. I'd be a wonderful ally to have, actually. Eleanor is my best friend." Ben continued, nodding his head. "Then again, I can be a threat, can't I? I can completely ruin your chances with Eleanor in a matter of seconds."

"Urg…the damn sorting hat was right." James groaned, rubbing his face. He was so pissed right now. "How did none of us see it before? You're such a Slytherin."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Now, what if I decide to help you?" Ben questioned. "I'll tell you now, Eleanor is not ready to date anyone at all. It's not one of her interests, especially with O.W.L.S being this year. Next year, maybe, most likely in seventh year though."

"So what do I do?" James questioned, completely lost at this. He acted like a ladies man, but he really liked Eleanor and he was already screwing up his relationship with her.

"Befriend her. You can still taunt her, of course nothing too serious or I'll have to step in, but if you stop teasing her all together, she'll get suspicious. Remember, she is a Ravenclaw. Eleanor is that type of girl who wants to be friends with a guy before she dates him. She has to be comfortable with you before she makes any important decision like that. Also, ease into it, man."

"And why will you help me?" He was suspicious. The Slytherin could be playing a nasty trick, though he really hoped that he wasn't.

"Because, deep, deep, deep down, I know Eleanor likes you too, and you might make her happy." Ben slid off of the desk with ease. "Plus, you could be useful to me as well." James looked at Ben like he was the worst, yet best thing, to happen all week. "Anyway, least you can do is start being nicer to me. She won't like anyone who is mean to her bestie." There was that smirk again.

"I liked you better at the start, when I didn't know how big of a pain in the ass you would be." James groaned, putting his head on the table. This Slytherin was becoming a lot of work.

"Potter, relax, okay?" Benjamin rolled his eyes at the over dramatic James. "We can still be…rivals. We'll just be friendlier. So tell me, buddy, what are you getting her for her birthday?"

"Birthday?"

"Dude, her birthday is the fifteen. You have fourteen days." Ben chuckled as James looked up at him. "Nothing too fancy."

"A fox." James stood up suddenly. "I'll just catch her a fox! I know there are some in the Forbidden Forest!"

"Uh…." Ben shook his head at this, not too fond of the forest. "Dude, it's Forbidden for a reason. No way in hell should we even think about going in there!" He really hated the place. Hagrid told them tons of scary things about it and looking at it make him shiver. "Didn't you hear? Dementors might be lurking in there." This made him shiver. Those things creeped him out and he was terrified of them.

"We won't be nearly that deep in the forest, if they're even there! That's just a silly rumor, Youngblood. C'mon, don't go running off with your tail between your legs now." James was far more confident about this than Benjamin was. "Aren't we best friends now?"

"Hey, I never said that, Potter." He spat, glaring at him with red eyes. "I'm not looking to get myself killed."

"We'll go during the middle of the day. What about next week? You're mostly free on Thursdays and Fridays, right?" He continued much to Ben's dismay. "Quidditch practice is on Saturdays and Sundays and our teams practice at different times, so the weekend won't work…"

"Potter-"

"We could go today." He interrupted Ben who was getting paler every second.

"You can't just give her a fox!" Ben exclaimed, shaking his head. "It's a wild animal, you nimrod. Why don't you write to your parents and get them to buy a fox sweater for her and send it here?"

"What is going on in here?" The professor came back in suddenly, staring at the two in mid argument.

"Sorry, professor, we're arguing over what to get our friend for her birthday." Ben said quickly, hoping to save themselves the trouble or pain of her punishment. "Potter isn't thinking before he acts."

She looked at them before she sighed. "Fine, both of you go." She said. They both hopped up and went to leave. She grabbed the collar of Ben's shirt and pulled him back as James hurried out. "I expect you to behave better, Mr. Youngblood." She muttered, before letting him go. He took off like a rocket, trying to get as far away from her as possible.

"Let's go to the forest." James said once Benjamin reached him.

"No. I have to work on my present to her, Potter, and I have tests and things to study for." He grumbled, brushing past him. Now James followed after him and they argued down the hall, getting odd stares from everyone they past. It wasn't that it was odd for a Gryffindor or Slytherin to argue…it was just, funny how James was pleading with Benjamin, who looked ready to kill him.

"What are you getting for her?" James questioned, starting to worry over the girl's birthday.

"I'm drawing her a picture and painting it." Benjamin told him, trying to get him to leave him alone. "I have to get to the library to look up foxes. I feel like I'm not getting the animal right."

"Then we should go to the Forbidden Forest to find one!" James exclaimed, getting ahead of himself.

"James!" Ben turned now, hair turning black as he glared at the male. "We don't even know the patronus charm to protect ourselves!"

James reared back, startled by his outburst.

"Look, James, we can't just go out there." He sighed, rubbing his face. He hated to yell at people like that, but the male wasn't getting it. "Fine." He agreed, hating himself as James grinned widely.

* * *

><p>"I'm knitting her a hat." Alice said at dinner. Eleanor was getting her food and the Ravenclaws and lone Slytherin were discussing their presents for Eleanor. "It'll have fox ears and a little cute fox face."<p>

"We're getting her books about wizards from around the world." The twins said together, happy with their choice. "How's your drawing coming along?"

"Fine, but, Potter wants to go to the Forbidden Forest. He wants to catch a fox for her, because he's an idiot, but now he has it in his head we need to go so I can see a fox and draw it better?" He rubbed his temples. "So basically a dementor will get us and I'll die."

"But we're learning the charm now?" Alice questioned him. "If you do run into one, which is extremely unlikely, you can fight it off." He shivered, thinking of the ugly creatures and shook his head.

"There's a reason I wasn't placed in Gryffindor. I don't want to do this." He whined, scared. "I'm awful at charms. I can't even get my patronus right…"

"We just started, you'll get the hang of it." Alice patted his back, trying to comfort him. "Let James get out there and try to catch a fox, it'll be out of his system. It's a stupid idea anyway."

"The charm isn't hard. Just think of a happy thought." Lorcan told him with a nod. "Mine is a horse."

"Mine is a Lynx." Lysander said with a smile.

"Of course you two can do it, you two are masters of charms." Benjamin put his head on the table, hair turning red with frustration. "I hope mine is a dragon."

"Maybe it will be?" Alice rubbed his back, soothing him. "It'll be okay though, Benny. I don't know my patronus either. It's exciting to not know, though I hope I can master it soon."

"I can't get mine to work either." Eleanor sat her food down and began munching at it furiously. "That damn professor is no help. We'll have to work on it together." She told the group, nodding her head. "I cannot allow this to be a setback."

"We'll help you." The twins offered and Eleanor thanked them profusely.

"It's just difficult." She mumbled. "Professor Selwyn is just so textbook and I need some hands on, especially with this charm. I hope mine is a fox."

"You are pretty sly and cunning, but not as much as Benjamin here. He might get that patronus." Alice nodded her head. "Who knows? Patronus can change."

"I just want a dragon." Ben whined, making them all sigh.


	7. Chapter 7

**Decided to update this again as sort of a Happily Holidays to you all. Thanks for much for liking this story!**

* * *

><p>It was Thursday as Ben yawned. He had managed to not set anything on fire in potions, mostly because he and James were actually getting along and not fighting. Now though, he had changed into his usual clothes and gotten a snack, so he was in a much better mood than before.<p>

"Benjamin!" Alice called him over from the stone table she was sitting at with Bailey. "Guess what?"

"What?" He asked, setting his bag down and looking at them. They both looked very excited.

"I learned what my patronus is!" She exclaimed.

"No fucking way!" Ben exclaimed, a smile on his face. She nodded her head and told him the story, how Bailey and she were trying for hours, and finally, it happened right when she was about to give up. "So, tell me, what is it?"

"An Arctic Fox!" She told him, smiling widely. "It was so beautiful and wonderful!"

"And mine was a Caribou!" Bailey joined in and Ben patted both of their shoulders.

"Those are bitchin' animals, for real!" He nodded his head, starting to want to see his even more. "They fit you guys so well too. Eleanor and I practiced yesterday. I'm kind of getting the hang of it." Which was sort of the truth. Eleanor almost got it, but it was tricky for her. They both gave up and called it a night and vowed to try again today or tomorrow.

"It's the thought." Alice told him. "I started my thought before I casted it and I tried tons of different memories."

"I think all of mine were bittersweet." Benjamin mumbled. All of his were about his mother. He should probably change the memory.

"Pick a long happy memory. I got to pet my patronus. It was amazing." Bailey smiled. The two continued to talk about their patronus and Benjamin pulled out his sketch book to doodle while they talked. He ended up drawing a caribou after hearing Bailey talk so much, more than she had every talked before. "That's so beautiful!" She exclaimed, looking at his drawing.

"Really?" He questioned, not seeing it. "Keeps my hands busy. Do you want it?" He asked as he ripped it out of the sketch book. She nodded her head eagerly as he handed it to hey. He swore he heard her squeal. She jumped out of her seat and hugged him, causing a little scene. Everyone looked at them as she giggled with the drawing in her hands.

"I love it so much! Thank you!" He hadn't ever see her this happy before. She hugged him again before she sat back down, her face red.

"I've never seen you so happy before." He told her, eyebrows raised. "Guessing you're really liking it here?"

"It's wonderful. I'm looking to actually finish up my schooling here, if my family doesn't mind it and if the school allows it." She told him, surprising him. "I know it's only November, but, I dunno. I just love this whole house system and it's just so nice to be with different people. You understand, right?"

"Yeah..." He nodded his head, thinking about it. He liked this place far more than his other school.

"Mr. Youngblood!" Professor Selywn's voice came up behind him, startling him. "Your ripped jeans are not appropriate. I can see your entire knee." She eyed his legs.

"Uh…sorry…but..." He didn't even know what to say to her. He was going to say more but she said the word he hated most.

"Detention!" Her shrill voice exclaimed and his ears ached. "Come along." She turned around and walked off. Ben gave a look to Alice and Bailey and gathered his things. He hurried after her, knowing what was going to happen. It probably didn't help that his hair was lime green.

She led him to her office, where he sat down again and held the pen tightly. The pain was slower this time, and hurt far more. His hand was shaking after writing the damn sentence, 'I will not stand out', ten times. He wanted to quit but this time he had to write it twenty times.

She sat there at her desk, drinking tea, as he sat in pain. He continued and kept his head down. Once he was done, his hand was shaking even more now and it wasn't disappearing like last time. "I hope you learn from this." She told him as he gathered his things. He left quickly and quietly, not knowing what to tell her.

He hated her, that was for sure. He wouldn't know how to explain this to anyone and he didn't want to have to. If he told Eleanor, she would go after her and would get the same punishment, and he refused to have that happen.

He retreated to the library and hid away in a corner, trying to get his hand to stop shaking. The writing began to disappear, much to his relief. His hand still ached and was shaking, so he stayed hidden away in the library for quite some time. He just read books for class, not being able to write or draw without causing more pain to his hand.

"God…fuck…" Why did she hate him? Was it because he was a halfblood? Because he was a metamphorgus?

"There you are!" James poked his head over and startled Ben, who almost fell out of his chair.

"Potter, what the hell do you want?" He spat out, clutching his right hand. "I'm busy." He didn't want to come off so rude but he couldn't handle the Gryffindor right now. The writing was completely gone and the pain had subsided, but mentally it was still there. He didn't even have a clue how the male had found him.

"Whoa, don't be so crabby." James rolled his eyes and stuff something in his back pocket. "I've looked for you everywhere. C'mon, let's go to the forest."

"No." Ben told him, shaking his head. "I haven't mastered the charm. Have you?" He glanced to the male, who paled a bit. "You haven't, have you?"

"I've done it. Once." He muttered, eager to get to the forest. "We won't go deep into it. C'mon. Grab your bag and let's goooo!" Benjamin looked at him, seeing that stupid smile on his face.

"Fine." He was going to die. He knew it.

* * *

><p>"It's not that bad." James started once they entered the forest. It had taken a while and a lot of professor dodging to get here, but they managed it. Maybe the sorting hat was right? They did make great partners. "Think you could transform into a professor next time to make it easier?"<p>

"Already working on it Potter. I don't do small. Why do you think I get detention so much with McGonagall?" Ben questioned and James smirk got wide. "Yeah, go big or go home."

"This will be great." James bounded into an open space, excited that they made it. Ben sat on a log, pulling out his sketch book. "Now what?"

"This is your plan, Potter." Ben muttered, starting a new page of foxes. He glanced up, spotting something orange. "Don't move." He said as a fox poked its head out of the bushes.

"Fox!" James exclaimed. He ran at it and the fox ran off, running in circles, almost as if it was playing with James, who chased after it.

"The thing is far smarter than you." Ben called, surprised that they had found a fox so quickly and easily. Maybe this was an okay idea? He started his sketch, happy that he had a reference, as the fox teased James, slowing down just enough for James to think he caught it, before it took off again.

The fox grew bored after James fell down, exhausted from the chase. It approached Ben slowly, sniffing him and his bag, before rubbing its face along the sketch book.

"What up?" Be questioned in, letting the animal do whatever it wanted. It seemed young and playful, so he wasn't afraid of it. Too bad Eleanor wasn't here for it. It looked at his drawing, and then back to Ben like it was asking _'Is that me?'_ "Yup, hope you don't mind that I drew ya." Ben replied, even though the fox probably couldn't understand him.

It jumped around Ben, wanting to play. He shook its head as James rose to his feet, dusting himself off. The fox froze suddenly, and took off, disappearing into the mist.

"What was his problem?" James questioned, looking off after it. Ben started to feel extremely cold and he turned around just as the dementor reached him. He screamed and stumbled over himself trying to get away from it, but it was far faster and he felt his soul being sucked out and he froze.

"Ben!" James shouted running at him. He knew the male was scared, but he could've tried to defend himself somehow. Instead he was petrified and not moving.

Ben felt every positive or happy though be drained from his body and all he could think of was his mother and the look in her eyes when she saw him for the first time after his father took her memories of magic away and how sh-

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" James shouted and pointed his wand at the creature. A coyote howled and launched itself at the creature. Ben felt sick and dazed and had no clue what was going on as James pulled him up, both of their bags around James' neck as he yanked Ben harder.

James had to grab hold of Ben to make sure the male didn't get left behind and James swore he never ran so fast before in his life. They collapsed against a hill, far from the forest. James looked over to Ben, who was shaking. His skin was pale and his hair was a light blonde, a shade he never wore before.

"Ben?" James questioned, putting his hand on the male's shoulder.

"F-Fuck, I told you!" He bellowed, stuttering and still shaking. "T-That was terrifying! I'm never going back in there again."

"What happened to your face?" James questioned, looking at the Slytherin. His nose was smaller and his lips had a more round shape than usual, plus, his cheekbones were more noticeable. His eyes were bright blue too.

"Nothing. Do you think I could keep up my look after that damn thing got me Potter?" He was angry, that was for sure, but he was scared too. "This is how I actually look and thanks to you, I just got to relive the most painful moments in my life. Thanks." He rubbed his face, not really wanting James to see him.

"I'm so sorry man, I just…I didn't expect you to freeze up like that."

"Why wouldn't I? Those are the most terrifying creatures! Maybe not to you, but for me, they are!" He was shouting now, and his hair was starting to turn red, which James supposed was good. It meant he was feeling better. "I don't know what's happened in your fucking life but I have a lot of shitty memories I'd like to forget!"

"I-I am really really sorry. You don't have to go change your face now, you'll wear yourself out!" Growing up with Teddy, he knew a bit about metamorphmagi. He knew if Ben tried to change himself after this, it might exhaust him and cause him to pass out.

"I can do what I damn well please, Potter. I know what my limits are!" He was still angry and his face was starting to change back to what it usually was. "I've been through far worse and been able to change!"

"But this is different." James argued, and dug through his bag. "Here, eat this chocolate." He handed him a piece and the male bit into it, chewing slowly. "It's supposed to make you feel better….Look man, we're best friends forever now. That was some deep stuff we just went through so now we've reached that level of friendship."

"I didn't sign up for this. Becoming your friend was an awful idea. I've almost died and we've been friends for barely a week!" Ben glared, ready to attack him.

"But it was an adventure….." James trailed off and Ben stood, ready to leave. "C'mon, man….I just….I am really sorry. I guess you'll be pissed to know that's the first time I did that charm."

"What?" Ben said through gritted teeth, feeling a little better now that he was in his usual form and had the chocolate in his system.

"I couldn't do it for shit, but, seeing you like that, I dunno, it just hit me and I thought of how much fun we were having before and bam! A coyote was attacking that creature!" James stood and was waving his hands as he told the story. "And I was so ready, I could do it over and over again!"

Ben was quiet for a minute and took many, many deep breathes, before he sighed. "I'm going to find Eleanor." He started up and the hill with his bag and James raced after him, his bag slamming against his side as he ran. "Potter, you owe me for this. Next time we do something stupid like this, and I'm sure we will, you can't get mad at me if it's my idea."

James' face broke out into a smile when he saw the smirk on Ben's face.

* * *

><p>"I've been looking for you all day." Eleanor said as Ben and James finally made it to one of the courtyards. Eleanor got up from her spot on the grass and rushed over to them, glancing at James before looking at Ben. "Ben, are you okay?" She questioned, looking up at him with a questioning look. "I thought we were going to try and get that charm down today?"<p>

"It was a long….long day." He grumbled, feeling light headed again.

"Then let's just do it tomorrow. C'mon, come sit with me. James didn't drag you into any dangerous stunts now, did he?" She questioned, pulling his hand. He gave James a look, who looked back.

"No, nothing like that." He told Eleanor as James chuckled, following them.

"Good!" Eleanor pulled him down to her spot and he laid his head on her shoulder, worn out. James plopped down on the other side of Eleanor. "You really that tired?" She questioned, glancing at him. "James must've worn you out. What were you two doing?" She asked this to the both of them.

"You make it sound so dirty." James grumbled, embarrassed.

"You embarrassed of me, James?" Ben teased, smirking as James started to stumble over his words. "Just kidding Ellie, we did nothing dirty. We saw a cute fox though, want to see the picture I drew of it?" He dug in his bag and handed the sketch book over to her as he closed his eyes. "There's a picture I did of James chasing it. He was so stupid looking."

"I wish I had been there for that! Wait, where did you two see a fox?" She asked, glancing at the both of them.

"Nowhere." They said at the same time, and she sighed.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm so glad you guys like this story! I know you want some BenxAlbus but this story is going from Ben's fifth year and to his seventh (and maybe a lil beyond) so just keep that in mind!**

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><p>It was Saturday and Ben wanted to do nothing all day, but Slytherin practice was first thing in the morning, which was way he was here, in the air, on his broomstick, hitting things with a bat.<p>

It was actually therapeutic for him to get out all his frustration like this. Being up in the air made him feel so free, and slamming a bludger with a bat got out all his stress. He was a bit disappointed when practice was over but a little happy since his hand was starting to cramp up.

"I'm going to bathe than go back to bed. I slept horribly last night." Scorpius told Ben as they put their equipment up in the locker room.

"I wish I could. Ravenclaw's practice is right after ours, so I gotta stay and watch Ellie's." He yawned, almost running into the team's seeker on his way out of the room.

"Have fun. Just sleep in the stands." Scorpius joked as they parted ways. Ben started the climb up into the stands where Alice and Bailey were. He trotted over to them and plopped down with a sigh.

"So tireddddddd!" He whined to them, hair dark orange.

"You look like a Weasley." Alice joked and he turned his hair brown. "What a mundane color."

"Alice you need a chill button." He told her, stretching and cracking his back. "Did you not see me own the skies up there? I'm so worn out."

"Then take a nap." She told him while Bailey laughed a bit. He pouted and put his head in Alice's lap when he laid down.

"Just remember you told me to take a nap and your lap is comfortable as hell…damn this is greatttttt." He sighed as Alice shook her head. He buried his face against her bronze colored sweater and closed his eyes.

Alice was perfectly fine with this. Benjamin was a lovely friend to have and acted more like a boyfriend than her actual boyfriend did. He was a treat to have both at breakfast and at dinner, and was a good pick me up when she was stressed about exams.

"He's so much work, goodness." Alice chuckled, running her fingers through his hair in a soothing manner. "Was he like this back in America?"

"I actually didn't get to talk to him much. Actually…no one really talked to him that much." She told Alice, looking at Benjamin, who was fast asleep. "He had a few friends, but not like he has here. He was friendly but I just don't think he really connected with anyone. People treat metamorphmagi differently here. You guys are far more accepting and kind. It's not like people out right bullied him, but, it did cause him to be the odd one out, he never seemed to mind at all though."

"Really?" Alice asked, looking down at Ben. His arms were wrapped around her waist and his body was warm.

"Yes. That's why I like it here so much better. Just more diverse people and I get to be in a house of people who are like me in many ways. It's just more accepting." She nodded her head and smiled at Ben, who mumbled something but stayed asleep. "I hope he decides to finish his schooling here. I know it's hard being so far from his family, but, it's not like we really get to see family at our school either. Christmas might be odd without them though."

"You don't get to go home for Christmas" Alice questioned, feeling a little bad for all the exchange students.

"No, not at all. We can call them and write to them, but no going home. It'll be hard to not spend the next three Christmases with my family, but, I like it here so much better, so I'm willing to sacrifice it." She continued as they both looked to the field to watch the team practice. "I'm not too sure if Ben will do the same. His siblings are the world to him."

"He talks about them sometimes." Alice said as she saw Lorcan hit a bludger. "Especially about Clara."

"Oh, Clara is such a jewel. She's the sweetest little girl I've ever met." Bailey beamed. "He spoils her rotten. I came over once to drop something off for my mother and I got to meet her."

"It'll be hard for him to not be there during Christmas." Alice mumbled, looking at him. She was a little disappointed. She didn't want Ben to leave at the end of the school year and not come back for their sixth year.

They went quiet for the rest of the practice as Alice continued to run her fingers through his hair.

* * *

><p>"We're going to do this." Eleanor said as she and Ben stood in the grassy court yard. "I've got to get this charm right. Maybe my memories aren't happy enough?"<p>

"That's what my problem is, I think..." Ben mumbled, nodding his head. "I'm going to try to think of living with my grandma all those years. I would read books on dragons and she'd make them come to life and fly around the room. They were tiny and made of paper, but it always made me happy."

"That's sweet. I think I know my memory." She nodded her head and took a deep breath. Ben watched her closely and she gracefully waved her wand, saying the spell confidently. A bright light appeared and swan swirled around her feet, making her jaw drop. "A swan? Oh my god Ben, look, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed and it disappeared. "I did it...! I DID IT!" She screamed, jumping up and down. "I knew I could do it!"

"Swan fits you so well too!" Ben said, excited for her. "You did it so well, like, damn…"

"It was the memory." She nodded her head, face flushed. "That was why I couldn't get it before. It wasn't happy enough. Now you try!" She pushed him to her spot and watched eagerly.

"You're makin' me nervous, princess." He muttered as he pointed his wand. He thought of his grandma and how much fun they had.

"Ben." Eleanor mumbled, looking at the male who had his eyes closed. "You're going to miss your patronus if you do that."

"What?" His eyes snapped open and he stared at the leopard that was standing there, looking at him like he was an idiot. "It's working, and I'm doing it…" He muttered and the feline growled and disappeared. He just looked at Eleanor. "Did you see that?"

"A leopard? Yes, I saw it." She smirked. Ben ran at her and hugged her tightly. Both starting laughing, so excited about this. "The memory was the only problem! I can't believe how easy it was!"

"That was fucking amazing!" He exclaimed, eyes bright. "I'm a little upset it wasn't a dragon but leopards are so badass. It just came so easily."

"This is what happens when we practice and study." Eleanor told him and he rolled his eyes.

"This would've helped in the Forest a few days ago." He muttered and Eleanor's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" She asked. "Look, I knew you guys went to the forest, but why would you need this charm?" She eyed him as Ben looked away. "Benjamin Grant Youngblood!" Her voice was now high pitched and he could tell she was angry. "What happened in the forest?!"

"A slight…run in with a dementor." He grumbled out, feeling bad that he hadn't told her. Her face went pale and she grabbed his arms.

"What happened? Did it get you? How did you get away?!" She demanded answers immediately. She brushed her auburn hair back behind her ear as her foot tapped against the grass.

"Yeah, it did get me, but James got it before it did any real damage." He rubbed his arm, not wanting to remember it. "It won't happen again, okay? I'm totally fine though."

"Benjamin, you could've been left in a horrible state!" Eleanor exclaimed, worried about her best friend.

"I could've, but I'm fine." He tried to act like it wasn't a big deal, even though he knew it was. "Eleanor, please, I'm okay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to calm down. She sighed and looked at him, biting her lip. "It'll take more than that to take me outta the game." He smiled at her and she glared, but lightened up and elbowed him.

"Just be careful." She said as she went to get her bag. "Let's go have some lunch. Mom wrote to me to tell me she was sending hats and scarves for us..."

Lunch on the weekend was nice, because Benjamin got to sit with them. He enjoyed sitting with the Silver Trio, what he liked to call Rose, Albus, and Scorpius, but he liked to sit with Alice and Eleanor, plus the twins and now Bailey, more.

Eleanor received her package and unwrapped it, handing over a black beanie and a green scarf to Ben.

"Dude, this is sweet." He grinned and pulled the beanie on. It was soft and warm and fit him perfectly. "I didn't know your mom knitted…?"

"She bought this. My mom cannot do activities like that." Eleanor rolled her eyes as she looked at her blue and bronze scarf and beanie. "Why did you get a black beanie?"

"My hair is always changing, but black matches everything." He grinned, hair turning green to match his scarf. Alice chuckled at this, smiling widely.

"You look adorable, Benny."

"All the ladies will want me." He joked, laughing at himself. "Or they'll stay away, either works with me." He shrugged and took a bit of his food. "You look good in your scarf, Ellie."

"These colors are good on me." She said, fluffing her scarf a bit before she took it off, along with the beanie, and put it in her bag. "I'm glad she sent us these things. Snow will be here next week. By the way, did we tell you?" Eleanor grinned at her friends, excited. "We finally got the charm down. My patronus is a beautiful swan!"

"She's got the temper to match it too." Ben mumbled and was elbowed by her.

"That's so perfect for you." Alice told her with a warm smile.

"Oh yes, very beautiful and graceful!" Bailey nodded her head and then looked to Ben. "Please tell me yours is a dragon? I know you've always liked them."

"Don't get him started." Lorcan muttered with raised eyebrows.

"Mine's a leopard!" Everyone went silent as he said this. They looked at each other, before looking back to him.

"Don't they hide in trees and tall grass and wait for their pray?" Lysander questioned.

"Leopards are self-assertive, independent, and can come off imitating." Loran said and everyone looked to Ben, who just looked back, confused. "Also extremely secretive. You have any secrets you're hiding there?"

"W-What?" Ben questioned, shaking his head. "You guys are supposed to be excited. I can't help my patronus. I think it's really bad ass." He mumbled, sighing. "Leopards are really amazing creatures. People tend to forget about them for the other large cats of the savannah, like cheetahs or lions."

"I like it." Alice was the first to say, making Ben smile. "It's fitting. You can be imitating and self-assertive. I'm happy you two finally got it down. Was it all in the memory?" She asked and Ben nodded his head. "I'm glad we all got the problem worked out. Now we'll be able to pass our exams."

"Not unless that professor starts teaching." Eleanor grumbled, and they all knew who she was talking about.

Professor Selwyn was a thorn in everyone's side. She went by the textbook and it was causing many students to fall behind. You really needed hands on, especially when it game to working spells and charms, but she did none of that. She read from the book and expected students to figure things out on their own. She was also a stick in the mud and followed the rules too closely, which Ben already knew.

"Mr. Youngblood." They all jumped when her voice came from behind them. "Hats are not worn inside."

"Sorry!" He exclaimed and yanked it off his head, forgetting about his blue hair.

"Mr. Youngblood, I've told you multiple times about your hair color." She started and he felt a pang of annoyance. He knew he should just say sorry and turn his hair to a normal color, but he didn't come here to be controlled like that. He came to get away from that. "Do try and keep it normal." With that, she was walking off, her heels clicking against the stone floor.

"She hates you." James muttered as he walked by. "She always has it out for you."

"Yeah, I know." He muttered, rubbing his right hand. He glared at her, wishing he could do something. "I'd pull a lovely prank on her, but who knows what she'll do? She'll probably kick me out and send me packing to America."

"No pranks on her!" Eleanor told him, eyes wide. "You can't get sent back to America!"

"I won't until it's time for me to go in May." He told her, patting her head.


	9. Chapter 9

**I have face characters for all of these guys. Seriously.**

**Sam Claflin is Ben, mostly when he's Finnick but really anytime, minus the curly hair. I'm sure you all know this one because he's the picture for this story.**

**Eleanor is Astrid Berge Frisbey. My friend picked her and she's really pretty.**

**Kiernan Shipka is for Bailey because she is seriously beautiful. **

**I think Lily Collins is a really good Alice, but really canon characters are up to you. Though Logan Lerman is the perfect Albus and you will never convince me other wise.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews and favs and follows! I was very nervous about posting this story because I know there's tons of Harry Potter fanfiction and I hoped my plot and characters weren't over done.**

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><p>The first Quidditch game of the season was Ravenclaw V.S. Hufflepuff.<p>

Watching Eleanor play made Benjamin too nervous to really enjoy it. He didn't partially like how he wasn't there to protect her, and yeah, he was a bit overprotective, but he couldn't help it. The girl was his best friend, one of the only people he really connected well with. He tried to relax, because Lysander and Lorcan were the beaters and wouldn't let anything hurt her.

"Quidditch isn't my favorite thing to watch." Albus admitted after an hour of watching the game. Ben glanced to him and Albus looked back. "What? Is that odd?"

"No. I agree. Which is sad, since I'm on the team, but, it's kind of boring. The game could last forever…" He grumbled, keeping track of Eleanor easily. "It's entertaining, at times, but, I dunno…"

"Same. I just could never really get super into it. I do enjoy it sometimes though…mostly when it's Slytherin against Gryffindor." Albus shrugged his shoulders. "You play next Saturday, don't you?"

"Yeah, and that game won't be lasting long. I'll knock out every Gryffindor I can." He grinned as Ravenclaw scored. "I'm a pretty rough beater."

"I've seen during practice. You're a lot rougher than I thought." Albus admitted, all attention now on the pink haired male. Ben seemed like a gentle guy, but he was rough and would knock you out in a second, especially when it came to Eleanor, and even Alice now.

"Younger siblings make you rough. You know what it's like, having a big family, right?" He questioned and Albus nodded as he heard his Gryffindor cousins in the next stand over screaming their lungs out.

"COME ON!" Rose screamed from beside Albus, making both males laugh. "Don't laugh at me!" She told them, eyebrows furrowed. "Benjamin, you need to root for your girl!"

"My girl?" He questioned, glancing to the field. "Eleanor is no one's 'girl'. My princess, maybe, but like I've told you before, I'm not and will not ever be romantically involved with that girl. She's a storm with skin I tell ya." He grumbled as she flew by like a blur. "Plus, I told her if she ends the game quickly I'd take her to Three Broomsticks tomorrow and she can get whatever she wants, especially since her birthday is tomorrow."

"Hmp, you two act like a couple." Rose mumbled.

"I'm pretty sure I just act like a dog and follow her around." He glanced to Albus for some support. "Especially since your brother is the one who likes her." He turned to watch the game once more as he said this. "The boy babbles like a stream about her. Kind of sweet and endearing, actually. Felt a little bad for him so I decided to help him."

"That's why you and he are buddy-buddy now?" Scorpius questioned, now interested. "We were all wondering about that."

"The plan to trick him went well, until I started to feel pity for him. Ya know, being a Gryffindor, he's pretty scared of his feelings." He watched as Eleanor almost grabbed the snitch, but it slipped away. "Anyway, thought I'd help him, since Eleanor likes him, deep deep…deep down. Might be another year or two though."

"You sound like a Slytherin now." Rose mumbled, eyeing him. "Does this mean you're coming back next year!?"

"Don't get too excited. It depends on the rest of the school year and my family." He told her, happy she was so excited for him to come back next year. "I'm sure it will be fine, as long as I'm home for the summer to take care of the kids. My brother can barely help them now. He's horrible with kids."

"That's sad seeing as you have so many siblings." Rose continued.

"I'm his only whole sibling and he's about five years older than me, so he's much older than them." He explained, drumming his fingers on his legs. "I dunno, it's kinda like you and your cousins. You get along with those that are your age. God, there's so many of ya too."

"There's always been and will probably always be many of us." Rose smiled, pulling her gloves on to warm her frozen fingers. "But yeah, I can get what you're saying."

"Everyone talks about to Weasley/Potters. Seems you're pretty popular." He shrugged as he glanced at them. "Well, not in the Slytherin house, but I'll take a guess and say it's because many of their parents or grandparents were death eaters or that their parents or grandparents were hated on for being in Slytherin and all of your parents were saviors of the Wizarding world." He said and Scorpius glanced to them, agreeing with Benjamin. "So you're popular by your parents, basically."

Rose and Albus gave him and look, and he shrugged once more.

"Just because I'm from America doesn't mean I don't know what happened. It was worldwide, ya know?" He stood and stretched. "Besides, I don't judge you based on your parents. That shows me nothing about your character. You and your cousins and siblings didn't save the world, your parents did. I won't give you credit or special treatment because of that. I doubt you two would try for it, you're pretty level headed; sometimes." He smirked and pulled his black beanie out of his pocket. "Now I gotta bounce. Eleanor is about to win and I've got to be down by the locker rooms." He told them and walked off, quickly going down the stairs.

"B-"Rose started but was cut off by the announcer.

"AMAZING! RAVENCLAW HAS WON THE GAME! ELEANOR WOOD CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

"How did he know?" Scorpius questioned, looking at his friends. "You know, I think that's the most he's ever spoken to us…that wasn't about dragons."

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><p>"It's my birthday!" Eleanor exclaimed to Benjamin when she met him in the hallway the next day.<p>

"Really now? Are you sure?" He questioned, making the auburn haired girl pout. He gave her a cheeky grin and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her against him as they walked to the Great Hall. "My silly Eleanor, of course I know it's your birthday, princess."

"Then start spoiling me rotten!" She exclaimed and put her arm around his waist, snug in his side. She smiled up at him and he rolled his eyes at her, but kept his arm around her.

"I always spoil you, don't I?" He questioned as they entered the Great Hall, laughing. A few students looked at them, but they went straight for their table, laughing the whole time. "Princess here thinks I don't spoil her enough."

"You have a loyal dragon at your beckoning call." Lorcan smiled as he pushed a wrapped box towards her.

"Oh yay!" She exclaimed, ripping into the paper and aweing at the books that were inside. "Oh my god, you two!" She picked up a book and flipped through it, then looked to the twins, who were smiling. "I've been dying to get these books!"

"We know." Lysander said with a nod. "So we got them for you."

"Thank you so much." She told them with a warm and grateful smile. "I really love them. I cannot wait to read them tonight. Gosh, and they're hard back..." She rubbed them and smelled them.

Benjamin rolled his eyes and rested his chin on his hand, watching her geek over the books. He was really lucky he got paired with the Wood family.

"I hope it fits. This is from Bailey and me. She drew out the pattern and helped with those button eyes." Alice said as she handed over her gift in a small pink bag. Eleanor almost screamed when she pulled out the fox beanie.

"OH. OH MY GOD." She took deep breathes as she pulled it over her head. Alice was almost tackled to the floor as Eleanor hugged her tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you!" She reached for Bailey and hugged her tightly too, squealing. Her wavy hair puffed out from the sides of the beanie and she looked so cheerful and adorable. "We're still going to the Three Broomsticks, right?" She asked, looking to Ben.

"Gee, not like I could say no to that adorable face." Ben grinned and patted her head. "Ellie, I promised it, and I keep promises. We'll go whenever you wanna go."

"Good!" Eleanor turned back to eat her breakfast, excited for the day.

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><p>"So, where's my present?" Eleanor questioned as they walked towards the Ravenclaw Common room. Benjamin was going to wait in the hallway while she dropped off her presents from the twins and rejoin him.<p>

"So impatient." He mumbled, reaching into his inside jacket pocket and pulling out a rolled up paper. "It's not a beanie but…" He handed it to her and she unrolled it, looking at the water colored fox with purple and blue splattered around it.

"Oh…Ben…." She awahed, staring at it. "It's so beautiful." She stared at it for another thirty seconds before Ben shifted uncomfortably, feeling a bit nervous. "I really love it!"

"Thanks. I hoped you'd like it."

"I love it! You're so talented, really. I'm surprised you're not cockier about drawing." She smirked at him. "I'll be right back!" She hurried off to her room to drop her presents off. Ben leaned against the wall, yawning as he waited.

"Uh, hey Ben." James approached him nervously with a box in his hands. "Where's Ellie?"

"We aren't always together." Ben said, but James just gave him a look. "She's up in her room dropping off her presents. Is that for her?" He glanced at the box.

"It's from Albus and me." He told him, nodding his head. "I was going to give it to her at breakfast but…..I thought it'd be weird for me to just kinda drop in and give this to her."

"It is from you and Albus, so it'll take pressure off of you." Ben shrugged. "Potter, I've never seen you so nervous before. Aren't you supposed to be more courageous?"

"I am brave, but it's Eleanor. I feel a little awkward." He admitted, glancing at the ground before looking at Ben. "She makes me uncomfortable."

"Please don't tell her that." Ben told him as he shot him a look. "Why don't you come with us to the Three Broomsticks? You gotta talk to her somehow. Just…just be yourself, okay? Like gee, didn't your parents talk to you about this?"

"Obviously you didn't know how my grandparents' relationship went for most of their schooling years." James muttered, brushing his bangs out of his face. The two males looked at each other before Eleanor bounded down the stairs and looked at them. "Oh, hey, uh, this is from Albus and me." James spoke first, handing her the box.

She glanced down at the box before opening it. She took a sharp intake of breath, trying to hide her excitement as she pulled out a blue sweater with a fox on it. She unzipped her coat and handed it to Ben before she pulled the sweater on, rubbing her hands on it. "Thank you. I love it." She said slowly to James. She grabbed her coat and put it back on and threw the box away in a nearby trashcan. It was obvious she was trying to hold back how excited she was about the present.

"So…Ellie…James is coming with us to the Three Broomsticks." Ben started, taken back by her silence.

"That's fine, only this time, Potter, got it?" She grew animated again and pointed her finger at him. "Only because you brought me a wonderful gift. I'll expect you to be on your best behavior today!"

"Sure." James said, looking relieved that she actually started to act like herself. He glanced to Ben, who give him a head nod.

"Alice and the others are waiting, so let's go." Ben led them, sighing at the two.

* * *

><p>"This butterbeer shit is good." Ben said after taking a sip.<p>

He, Loran, Lysander, Alice, Bailey, James, and Eleanor were all sitting at a round table near the fireplace at the Three Broomsticks. Ben was surprised at the taste of the drink and actually enjoyed it more than he thought. He ended up with a foam mustache after finishing his drink and Alice laughed loudly at him and freaked out when Ben grabbed her and snuggled her neck, getting the foam all over her neck.

"No wonder Hugh hates you." James smirked as Alice pouted, wiping the foam off of her neck. "I would kill you if you do that to me."

"You're my target next." Ben said and winked at James. "A lot of people hate me, which is surprising, I think….." He trailed off, thinking about it. "He shouldn't hate me just because his girlfriend likes me better. Come on, who could blame her? I'm adorable."

"Oh just the cutest." Alice said sarcastically, getting all of the foam off of her neck. "Hugh needs to tone it down or he'll be single soon. He's so stubborn."

"Boys are all stubborn." Eleanor said with a confident look. Everyone looked at her in disbelief.

"Princess, I love you, but you are the most stubborn person I have ever met….and I'm me." Ben said as another butterbeer was placed in front of him. "Have you seen you when you do anything related to Quidditch?"

"That's different. Quidditch is my life!" She exclaimed, getting riled up again. "Besides, it's my birthday, so, let's talk about Quidditch."

"Nooooooo." Everyone except James said. James looked pretty eager to discuss Quidditch and wasn't going to oppose it at all. He had been pretty polite throughout the whole hang out time.

"Potter is the only one with good tastes right now. I'm disappointed." Eleanor crossed her arms and huffed at her friends.

"Disappointment does nothing to me." Ben told her, chuckling as he took another sip. "You look like my brother. He huffs up and crosses his arms when I piss him off. Maybe that's why we hit it off so well?"

"Don't tell me I remind you of a man!" Her voice got into a high pitch as she exclaimed this, cheeks red. "Benjamin, you are not smooth at all. None of you boys are. This is worrying, isn't it? How will they get girlfriends? Or boyfriends?"

"I think we'll be okay." Loran said with raised eyebrows. "I'm not sure if I want relationship advice from any of you lot."

"I agree. None of you seem like love experts to me." Lysander laughed after saying this.

"Gals and gents love me. I can be anything they want me to be." Ben shrugged, feeling confident in himself. "You don't know my romantic past."

"Oh, shush, Benjamin." Bailey said and wrinkled her nose at him. "You never had a girlfriend back home. You were too into your own world to care about other people. Have you ever actually had a crush before? Wait, what are you?"

"I'm me." Ben replied like the smartass he was. He received a kick from Eleanor and winced. "Well my world was far more entertaining than the people in my classes who were more interested in trying to do advanced love potions and cheating spells." He propped his chin with his hand and closed his eyes for a second. "Ah lemme seeeeeeeeeeeee….." He opened his eyes after a few seconds and they were purple. "No, don't think I have liked anyone that seriously. Found a few attractive but not that interested to pursue them. What do you mean what am I? Isn't today the day we just talk about Eleanor?"

"No, I like to interrogate you guys and find out everything I can." Eleanor told him with a smile. "She means what's your sexuality?"

He made a face as everyone looked at him.

"Honestly I was wondering the same thing." Lysander admitted. "I wondered if gender was different for metamorphmagi since you can morph into anyone."

"Gender is the same." Ben told him with a head nod. "I guess I'mmmmmmmmm, I dunno actually. Does it matter? I think I'm just…" He shrugged, trying to figure out how to describe it.

"So you're pansexual?" Bailey questioned. "Means you really don't care about the gender, it's more the personality you care about."

"There we go! Ten points to Ravenclaw for that." He joked, winking at Bailey for helping him out. "No wonder I never dated someone back home, all their personalities were shit." He laughed and drank more of his drink, his hair turning pink. "What about you, Potter, and that Hufflepuff girl?"

"That was an awful prank, you know." James' face went red and Alice laughed at him.

"My father thought it was funny. Said he told your father about it, made him laugh." Alice told James with a bright smile. James glared at her with promise of a prank coming her way, though he would never do it. He and Alice had been friends since they could remember and he couldn't pull a prank on her. She'd get him back far worse if he did.

The group jumped into a discussion about each other's parents, except for Bailey and Benjamin. The two Americans exchanged looks as their friends went on about their parents.

"Glad our parents don't know their parents." Bailey mumbled to Ben and the two laughed quietly. "They've all known each other since birth, isn't that insane? Makes me feel kind of weird."

"Weird? Means we're special. We got into the group." He told her, making her feel better. "Everyone knows their parents, which I find super trippy. I would hate that. I like to keep my personal things private."

"So do I. I don't want my personal life out on display for everyone to see." Bailey agreed with him as she glanced at her friends. "I like coming to a new place where no one knows me. I can be whoever I want to be."

"I get you. No one knows who you are or your family, unlike back home." Ben loved that about Hogwarts. No one knew about his personal life. "It's refreshing."

* * *

><p>"It's so cold." Ben complained as they made their way back to the school. He was huddled under his green scarf, standing out against the white landscape around them. He shivered as snow hit him in the face.<p>

"It's always somewhat cold here." James told him, walking beside Benjamin. The twins were behind them and the girls were in front of them. "But it is winter, you know."

"Really, Potter, is it? I had no clue." Ben said, dripping with sarcasm. "What would I do without you, Potter? Live a happy and carefree life? Without the chance of dying?"

"That was one time." James told him and pulled his own scarf closer to his face. "You're living a happy and carefree life with me. We've bonded. We're friends now. You're my Slytherin brethren."

"Is his father like this?" Ben asked the others, who turned to glance at the two males.

"I have to say, from the stories, he's much more like his grandfather." Lorcan spoke up as a gust of wind hit them with more snow. "Gee…"

"I wanna be in my common room next to the fire." Ben whined and James laughed at him. "Why are you laughing, Potter? I'll be cuddled up with your brother."

James' face got red and he punched Ben's arm. "Stay away from Albus!"

"But, we're friends now, James, we've bonded!" Ben laughed and was hit again by James. "Relax, I won't mess with Al. I just enjoy seeing your face all red. Al is always busy or doing whatever he does. I never really bother to ask, I'm sure he won't tell me anyway. He doesn't talk much compared to you."

"That's Al for you." Alice said with a nod. "Lily and James are the outgoing ones of the Potter trio."

"I like him though. He's funny." Ben felt James glare at him once more. "Oh, James, come on, lighten up. It's not like I'm trying to get in his pants."

"If he did, we would all know." Eleanor told James, trying to reassure him. "I dunno, Ben and Al could be cute together."

"It was a jokeeeeeee!" Ben exclaimed, not wanting to start anything. "I am not interested nor do I want to be interested in anyone at this school. You guys take stuff too seriously."

"Then don't imply things about my brother." James told him, crossing his arms.

"James I'm about to punch you in the throat." Ben muttered, cracking his knuckles.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much for reviewing and following and favoriting! Happy to know you guys like my Benny because he's one of my favorite characters I made. He's so fucking cute.**

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><p>Benjamin stretched out on a black couch in the Slytherin common room. It was smooth black velvet and the cushions were so soft, he felt like he was going to fall asleep. He yawned and flipped a page in his book, eyes glancing over the words.<p>

He was doing fine in all his classes. He was passing and that's all that matter. He probably should have been getting to bed, but he was a bit of a night owl. He saw the squid swim around and watched it for a while, giving up on reading for his class.

"Hey, you awake?" Rose questioned, stepping down the stairs quietly. She thought she heard someone down in the common room. She couldn't sleep, so she usually walked around for a bit.

"As always. What are you doing up my dear Rose?" Ben questioned, sitting up more and giving Rose room to sit on the couch.

"How come you call every girl, 'my dear' before their name?" Rose questioned right off the bat. "You seem so flirtatious but you don't mean it in that way, right? If you do, you flirt with a lot of girls. You don't seem like you mean it, unless you like to flirt with Alice, Bailey, Eleanor, and even James sometimes."

"I do not flirt with James." Ben stopped her there, shaking his head. "That's arguing. I don't flirt with anyone, I just like to call my friends that are female that. Do you not like it?"

"It's fine, I sort of like the 'my dear' but I know Hugh doesn't. That's why he beat you up so much in the game with Gryffindor a few weeks ago." Rose started up and Ben remembered the game. They had won, barely, but he had been beaten up real bad with bludgers. Hugh aimed for him every chance he got, but Ben protected his seeker. He still had bruises over his body. "Hugh doesn't like how to behave around Alice. He complains about it to James, who tells us. I don't blame him since you are so touchy feely with her but Hugh doesn't have a right to treat you like that. He's being too harsh and it could've seriously hurt you. Eleanor would have totally hurt him though, so I guess you weren't worried. But still, you aren't making it easy for yourself."

"Rose, I never make things easy. Hugh hates me no matter what, so I'm not going to stress. It's late. Shouldn't you go to bed? The train leaves early tomorrow."

It was already December, the end of December, and they were heading home for the Holidays. Ben was heading for Eleanor's home, but, that was home enough for him. The past month was a blur and he loved every second of it.

"I'm already packed and ready to go home. Why, do you not like my company? Are you hiding anything?"

"Rose, you have the ability to make me spill the beans on everything. You know that?" He sat up all the way now and looked at Rose, who had her hair up in a messy bun with strands of curly red hair poking out everywhere. "What more do you want me to say?"

"I like to know everything." She smirked at him. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

"I'm pretty boring, you seem more interesting." Ben told her and stood, grabbing his book. "But it's late and we've got a train to catch tomorrow, so let's go to bed."

* * *

><p>"Benny." Eleanor mumbled as Ben and she watched tv.<p>

Christmas break had been unexciting. Her parents were working up until Christmas and her siblings weren't due in town until the day before Christmas.

"What?" He yawned, slipping in and out of sleep. "Don't tell me your siblings are here. God they hate me." He complained, stretching. Her siblings didn't know what house Benjamin was placed in and he wasn't sure he wanted them to find out.

"They'll be here tomorrow. Let's go for a walk." She jumped up and pulled him up. He whined, because god, it was so cold outside, but she grabbed her coat and socks and shoes and scarf and hat and was ready to go out. Ben groaned again but got dressed in warm clothes. He was pulled outside into the snow and Eleanor skipped through it while Ben could see her breath.

He took a deep breath and blew. It came out like smoke and he grinned, enjoying how it made him look a little like a dragon. Eleanor waited for him to catch up to her and she clung onto his arm, happy in his warmth. "So, my princess, why are we out here?" He asked and she kept looking forward.

"I was sick of sitting in there. I needed a break from studying." She told him and leaned into him. "Plus the terrible duo is coming tomorrow."

"I'll be on my best behavior." He told her. He really disliked her siblings. Caleb was all into Quidditch and was a Gryffindor. He loved James Potter and spoke highly of him being the next big thing from Hogwarts. Amelia, a Ravenclaw like Eleanor, walked around like she had a stick up her ass all the time just because she worked for the Ministry of Magic. Amelia was boring to Benjamin and out of the three, Benjamin adored Eleanor the most, which was unsurprising. He disliked the other two right away.

They didn't seemed to like him either, finding him annoying, especially since he defended Eleanor and glared at them if they dared to tease her. He had siblings, he understood sibling love and arguing that was bound to happen, but, a sister that is twelve years older than her little sister shouldn't be acting like a child.

"I'm glad you're here this holiday season." She told him. "I know you're missing your family, but it's just really nice to have someone on my side."

"I'll try my hardest to always be on your side." He pulled her closer, feeling a little bad for her. Her parents adored her, but she was sort of an accident. Her mother had put her career on hold for the first two kids and was ready to get back out there when she found out about Eleanor.

"I just want cool things to talk about, you know?" She questioned, mumbling a bit. She kicked some snow and sighed. "School just isn't interesting to Amelia and Caleb anymore and they'll talk over me. They have 'real' lives." She just looked irritated. "My life isn't real."

"Well…it is to me." Ben told her, looking at her. "Your life is now my life, princess. You're extremely interesting to me. Who cares about the others?"

"Is that how you move through life?"

"You can't dwell on things. Sometimes people just don't care or don't….just don't remember. You can't let it stop you from doing what you do…?" He questioned, glancing at her. She looked at him, eyes scanning his face, wondering if maybe he had past experiences with people who don't remember.

"Who doesn't remember you? That's pretty impossible." Eleanor told him with a small smile and he nudged her. "Benjamin….does someone really not remember you?"

"What? You said it yourself, Ellie, no one can forget me." He told her with a smile, looking ahead. "Let's start a fire when we get back. It's so cold."

* * *

><p>The siblings came crashing in the next morning very early. Eleanor and Benjamin had fallen asleep up in her attic domain that had bookshelves upon bookshelves everywhere. Benjamin had built them a pillow fort with all the pillows they could find and sheets. It proved to be extremely warm and the two had fallen asleep.<p>

Technically, Ben fell asleep first. Eleanor had been reading out loud and it lulled him to sleep. Since it was so warm and cozy, Eleanor decided to sleep in it too.

When they heard the door open, Eleanor's mother squeal, the crashing of luggage, and the loud talking of Caleb, they knew peace was over. Ben groaned and turned over, hiding under a blanket as Eleanor sat up, rubbing her face. "Eleanor go back to bed." Ben grumbled.

"We got to get up. He'll come busting in here soon. He'll wreck the fort to get to us." Eleanor shook Ben, but he just whined. He pulled her down and tickled her, making her laugh. "B-Ben!" She panted, trying to get some air into her lungs as she laughed. "C'mon, we need to get up!"

"Fine." He stopped the tickling and sat up, his hair turning black as he pushed his way carefully out of the fort. "Besides, I don't want your brother thinking I was taking advantage of you." Caleb seemed to think Ben had a thing for Eleanor. He shivered at the thought.

Eleanor crawled out of the fort and led him down the steps and out of her hide away room that she escaped to more than she wanted to admit. They went to get ready for the morning and met up back in the hallway twenty minutes later. Ben's hair was now dark blue with hints of purple, because Eleanor liked that best on him and purple eyes. "You can do this." He told her and they heard the door open again, this time more gentle.

"Good morning everyone, sorry if I'm late." They heard Amelia say and then burst of chattering and greeting and hugging with the banging of luggage once more.

"Uh…" Eleanor mumbled, growing nervous again.

"C'mon, princess, take shit from no one. No fear, got it? Your dragon is here to protect you!" He told her with a confident smile.

"Where's Ellie?" They heard Caleb ask from the kitchen.

"She and Benjamin are probably still asleep. They were holed up in the attic last night studying." Eleanor's mother said, probably making breakfast.

"_He's _still here?" Both of the older siblings said together.

"Why wouldn't he be here?" asked them, probably shaking his head. "He doesn't get to go home for the holidays, so just remember that if you decide to pick on him. He has to spend Christmas without his family and little siblings."

"He can go home and never come back." Amelia muttered, not pleased. "He's just too defiant."

"Defiant isn't bad." Caleb told her, probably smirking and brushing his brown bangs out of his face. "But, he's trouble. I can't believe you let her stay home alone all day with him!"

"Hey, maybe they'll be so busy hating me they'll be nice to you?" Ben told her, smirking. "Wonder what they'll do when they find out I'm Slytherin?"

"They'll lose it." Eleanor muttered, starting to hate her siblings for talking about Benjamin so poorly. "I don't think Slytherins are terrible at all."

"Caleb, Benjamin is quite sweet and cares about Eleanor a lot. He's a talented young man." They heard Eleanor's mother tell her older children, almost lecturing them. "He would never do such a thing to Eleanor."

"Let's do this, grab food, and retreat to the fort." He nudged Eleanor. She took a deep breath and started down the stairs. Ben followed closely, giving Eleanor the reassurance she needed.

"Good morning, everyone." She said as they walked down the short hallway to the kitchen.

"Hey sis!" Caleb pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back and gave Amelia a short hug before picking a biscuit out of the basket her mother just put them in. "Hey, Benjamin."

"Mornin'." He nodded his head and grabbed a biscuit out of the basket too. Mrs. Wood slapped his hand, shaking her head. "Ellie didn't get in trouble." He whined, snatching the half eaten biscuit from Eleanor and taking a bite. "Remember that piece of garlic bread you took from me months ago? I'm getting revenge now."

"We're about to sit down for breakfast, you two." She shook her head at both of them. "You can wait a minute or two, you aren't starving."

Eleanor wanted to head back upstairs, because her siblings would be home for the next week so they had plenty of time to catch up. She felt bad for not wanting to spend time with them, but, it was just how it was. The age gap was just too big. Maybe when she got older, they could get along better, but, not now.

"We might have to rush through breakfast, mom. Ben and I have a lot of studying to do." She said and sat down at the table. Ben plopped down next to her and Mr. Wood, while Caleb and Amelia sat across from him. Mrs. Wood set the food on the table and they all dug in. Ben kept it light, as did Eleanor, so they could eat quickly and leave.

"Oh yes, O.W.L.S. are coming up in June, aren't they?" Amelia questioned, setting her napkin in her lap. "Better start preparing or you won't pass."

"That's why we're going to study after breakfast and for the rest of the day." Eleanor replied as she ate her eggs.

"How Quidditch going?" Caleb started, looking at the two. Ben stayed quiet, deciding to let Eleanor handle the questions.

"Great! I won our first game." She told them with a head nod. "Hufflepuff plays against Slytherin about a week after we get back, then we go against Gryffindor." She glanced to Ben, who just ate another biscuit.

"Those Slytherins are easy to beat. They're beaters aren't any good." Caleb nodded his head and Amelia agreed. "They can't win a game."

"Actually…they beat Gryffindor." Ben said, not liking the male's insults to his house. "I mean, I think they're beaters are pretty great." He shrugged. He was an amazing beater. He felt Eleanor tense up and her parents looked at Ben.

"You're actually interested in Quidditch? I thought you weren't." Caleb said, preparing for an argument with Benjamin. Quidditch was his life, so he knew best.

"Well I am now since I play." Ben replied, eyes lighting up. Quidditch was incredibly fun to play. Painful, yes, but it was freeing. "I'm a beater."

"I guess I can see it…" Caleb pushed his eggs around on his plate, eyeing the male. Ben wasn't bulky, but he was still young. If he worked out over the summer, he could gain muscle. He was still growing, anyway.

"He's a great beater." Eleanor eyed her parents, telling them not to mention what house that Benjamin was in. Caleb and Amelia probably assumed his was a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, and she wanted it to stay that way. "But we really got to hit the books!" She hopped up and grabbed her plate, taking it to the sink. Ben followed her and the two raced out of the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Eleanor, they'll find out." Benjamin mumbled as they hid in the attic. He was on the floor, sketching, while Eleanor actually studied.<p>

They had been up here for a few hours and he was wondering when someone was going to come up here to disturb the peacefulness they had going. He could draw all day and he knew Eleanor could read and study all day, and he was fine with that, but he knew good things don't last forever.

"We can tell them after Christmas." She begged Ben, looking up from her book. "I don't want them to be mean to you. Come on, Benny, you're always protecting me. Let me protect you."

"The longer we put it off the worse it'll it. They'll find out when they see me wearing so much fucking green!" He exclaimed, looking down at his green sweater.

"Green is your favorite color now." She told him, glaring at him. Red was the male's favorite color, but, they didn't have to know that. "We can probably make it the full week without finding out. I'll do all the talking. You won't have to worry."

"I'm not worrying, you're the one worrying." He got up from his spot and walked over to the couch she was curled up on. He plopped down and looked at her. "C'mere." He pulled her over, putting his arm around her, trying to comfort her. "Things will be fine. I'm who I am and it's fine. I don't care what they say. I don't value their opinions like I value yours."

"I just don't want any trouble this holiday. I want my mother to have a happy holiday. She knows it's tense between my siblings and me." She told him and leaned against him. "It's only the first day."

"You know how much I'm going to have to pretend that I fucking love green?" He questioned, making her chuckle a bit. "Oh well, I do look quite good in it."

"You look good in any color." She told him, looking at his now green eyes. "What's your natural eye color?"

"Why?" He asked, looking at her. She looked at him for a few seconds, not saying anything.

"It's not green. It doesn't fit you." She decided and sat up. "Can you not remember your natural eye color?"

"Ah, yeah, well, sometimes I forgot what I actually look like." He shrugged and yawned. "You mind if we nap again in the fort?"

* * *

><p>Opening presents surprisingly went smoothly the next day. Benjamin chilled on the couch with Eleanor, happy to watch her open her presents and stuck all the extra bows she had from the presents on her in various places. He got socks (surprise) from the Woods which was fine for him and he was pretty excited about it since they had dragons on them. His parents had sent him over a few sketch books with some other art supplies and Clara sent him a picture of a dragon she drew.<p>

"She's an angel." He told Eleanor, showing her the picture. It was the first page in his sketch book and it also said _'I love you Benny! Be a good dragon!'_. Ben felt his eyes get misty when he looked at it. "I got Mitchel to buy her this huge pink bunny plush for me. I now owe him money but she'll be happy with it. I'll call her later." He mumbled, looking at his phone for the time. "Still too early across the pond."

"We should go out and play some Quidditch!" Caleb exclaimed and his mother shook her head.

"No. Last Christmas you almost broke your leg." She said sternly. "You can go play some ball, but no flying." He grumbled, but got Amelia and his father to get dressed and go outside. "You two don't want to play?"

"Do we want to go run around in the snow and get hit with baseballs by Caleb?" She asked her mother, giving her a look. "Not really, but I guess we will. It is Christmas." She pulled Benjamin upstairs to get dressed and trotted downstairs with Ben close behind as always. They went outside, feet crunching the snow they walked on. "This is fun. I think it's colder today than it was yesterday." She glanced to Ben, who was watching Caleb hit the ball his sister threw at him. She hooked her arm around his arm and nuzzled up to him.

"Little princess cold?" He questioned, looking at her red nose. "We should go inside. It's too cold for you out here."

"I'm used to it. I'll be fine. Mom likes us to stay outside all day and when we come in we're ready to eat and then we'll sleep and not cause any ruckus. Means if we stay out here long enough, we'll get fed and get to stay in our fort and sleep." She told him with a nod.

"Heads up!" Caleb called and Ben caught the ball that was flying towards Ellie's head swiftly, shooting a glare her brother's way. He threw it back harshly and Caleb barely caught it.

"If he hits you with it I'm going to destroy him." Ben told Eleanor when he turned back to look down at her. "Can't we go help your mom cook or something?"

"We'd eat all the food before it was lunch time." Eleanor told him and he had to agree. He and Eleanor were known to munch and snack on the food throughout the preparing time.

"Ellie, sweetie, James is here for you!" Her mother called out into the large backyard. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her, confused. "Oliver, love, Harry is here!"

"I'll be right there!" He called back and began making his way to the porch, excited to see his old friend.

"James is here? For you?" Caleb questioned, walking towards Eleanor. "You dating him?"

"Uh, no!" Eleanor exclaimed, disgusted by the thought. "Potter, why are you here?" She questioned when James poked his head out the back door. He had a red beanie on his head, pushing his bangs into his face. He came out of the door as Mr. Wood went in.

"Can't I come visit you two?" He questioned as he walked over to them. He almost slipped and Ben didn't hold back his laughter at all. "Don't be a jerk." James grumbled to his friend as he reached the two. "Grandma noticed we brought you two up a lot in our stories about school." James told them and waved at Caleb. "She wanted to invite you two over for Christmas lunch or dinner or whatever."

"Really?" Eleanor questioned, eyeing him. "You talked about us?"

"Of course. You are my best friends now." James told him as Caleb approached them. Caleb pulled James into a side hug, smiling at him.

"Potter, how have you been?" Caleb asked, looking at the mall. "Heard you lost to Slytherin."

"It's not my fault, he kept getting me with the bludgers!" James exclaimed, trying to defend himself and he glared at Ben, who just shot him a pleading look.

"What?" Caleb questioned as the back door opened and Harry popped his head out.

"Ready to get going?" He asked the three teens. Eleanor grabbed their hands and pulled the two males with her as she rushed for the door. "Excited, yeah?"

"Oh yes! It will very fun!" Eleanor exclaimed, hoping to get out without incident. "James, be quiet, would you?"

"Ben, aren't you Gryffindor?" Caleb questioned, he and Amelia following them into the house. Eleanor pushed the group to the front door as Ben helped her.

"No, he's Ravenclaw, isn't he? He's creative!" Amelia argued, following the group closely.

"Get us out!" Eleanor told Harry as they went out the front door. "Hurry and apparate us out please!"

"What's the rush?" Harry questioned, pulling out his wand as he tried to get the teens together so he could do it properly.

"What house are you in?!" Caleb questioned as Ben put his arm around Eleanor's waist so he wouldn't get left behind.

"Does he not know?" James questioned and Harry looked equally confused. Eleanor shot them a panicked look.

"Don't tell me you're-"

"Slytherin?" Ben finished for Caleb, turning his eyes green as Harry waved his wand and they were gone.

They appeared in front a very tall and oddly put together house. Ben looked up in amazement at it as Eleanor tugged on his arm, pulling him to follow Harry and James.

"Did they not know you're a Slytherin?" James questioned as they stepped up onto the porch.

"No, they didn't. We'll have to hear about it when we get back." Eleanor sighed and Ben just smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it, princess. I can handle anything like that." He reassured her as Harry opened the door.

"We're back!" Harry called and it grew quiet as everyone that was crammed in the first level of the house looked at them.

"Oh good!" An older woman with orange hair with streaks of gray in it hurried over, smiling widely. "Hello you two! You can call me grandma Molly!"

"Chill!" Ben exclaimed, smiling back at her. "I'm Benjamin, Benjamin Youngblood."

"We've heard about you." A male chuckled. Ben couldn't tell which one said it since there were so many males standing around, looking at them. "You're the American Slytherin, yeah?" Ben looked at the male, a ginger older man who was smirking at him.

"What a lovely title I seem to have, but yeah, that's me." Ben replied with a shrug.

"Thank you for inviting us." Eleanor told Mrs. Weasley, smiling at her.

"Well of course, my dear!" She patted her shoulder. "Now, you kids go run and play so I can finish up dinner without you all snacking on it before it's ready!"

"There's so many." Benjamin told Eleanor as watched half of them kick a ball around, a few build snowmen, and the others having a snowball fight. "I love it."

"Well, The Weasleys were a large family before, but then they got married and had kids so…" Eleanor told him.

"You guys going to join?" Fred questioned as he threw a snowball at Lucy. She dodged it but was smacked in the back with the soccer ball.

"I'm sorry!" Molly called, hurrying over to help Lucy up. "Accident, I swear." Lucy responded with making a snowball and smacking her in the chest with it. Molly left the soccer game (technically football but Benjamin was American so he called it soccer) to join in the snowball fight.

"Don't be too rough." Percy told his two daughters as they began to fight with each other. He no longer tried to stop them when they argued, because it was a bit pointless. The two were different as night and day and they were hot headed and stubborn.

"Too bad Roxanne isn't here. She loves a good snowball fight." Fred said about his younger sister. She had jumped gun on the foreign exchange program and was eager to go to a school in Germany over Hogwarts. He left the game to join the snowball fight and the game was quickly ended so everyone could join in the snowball fight.

"You want to join?" Ben questioned Albus, who was standing on the porch, leaning against the railing.

"No, because I'll get snow stuffed down my pants. Again." He grumbled as Lily giggled beside him. She hopped over the railing and joined the fray. "Snow always ends up in my pants."

This made Victoire laugh loudly as she sat on the porch steps with her boyfriend, Teddy. The two were snuggled up with each other, happy with each other. Albus glared at his cousin and then looked forward at his siblings and cousins.

"I would join, but I don't want my clothes soaked." Eleanor said, turning to look at Albus. She felt something cold hit her back and she shrieked, turning around quickly. "WHO THREW THAT?!" She exclaimed. Everyone pointed at James, who went pale. "Benjamin!" Eleanor looked at the blue haired male.

"Let's get him." Ben grinned and the two ran at James, who almost screamed. He quickly made a snowball and threw it but they easily dodged it and pelted him with snowballs of their own.

"Shouldn't have gone after Ellie, James." Rose told her cousin as he got him in the face with a snowball. "You know that if you mess with Ellie, you mess with Ben too."

"I thought we were bros though!" He exclaimed, tossing a snowball at Ben, hitting him in the chest.

"Eleanor is first." He replied as he wiped the snow off his jacket. "You should know that one, Potter!"

"I wasn't thinking, obviously." He grumbled and Eleanor smacked him in the head with a snowball. "Damn!" He exclaimed, shaking the snow out of his hair.

"Dream team!" She exclaimed, high fiving Ben. The two laughed at James, who gave them annoyed looks. "Oh, come on James, you did start it. Next time you should try to be on our team and not the opposing side."

"I'll try to remember that." He rolled his eyes as Ben shivered and retreated back towards the house, too cold to play anymore.

"Snow is only fun for a little bit." He told Albus, who had a cup of hot chocolate in his hands now. "Good thing my hair is already blue." He said this and made Al smile a bit.

"I like to watch them smack each other with snowballs. Far more entertaining than getting smacked." Albus told him as Eleanor continued to play. "You aren't going to protect Eleanor?"

"The princess is on her own. Snow won't hurt her." Ben leaned against the porch, not up for another round. "I got to save my energy anyway. Her bother might kill me when I get back to her place."

"Why?" Albus asked, sipping his hot drink.

"I'm Slytherin." Ben shrugged, looking up at Al. "Apparently that's a terribly dreadful thing to be, according to Amelia and Caleb. I don't know if they know this, but I'm kinda the odd one out no matter what, so I don't see why they were so surprised to find out my house. Like damn, I wear an insane amount of green."

"Green suits you." Albus told him with a head nod. "I get you about that one….."

"Figured you would." Ben smiled and Albus looked at him before smiling back at him.

"And green eyes don't suit you." Albus said to him and Ben pouted.

"You and Eleanor say the same thing. What eye color do you want me to have?" Ben now turned to look up at Albus, tilting his head.

"Your natural eye color would be nice." Albus thought back to the picture. He barely got a look at Ben as he naturally looked, but he was sure his eyes were blue.

"Natural eye color? Afraid I don't have a clue what you're talking about, my dear Albus." A smirk spread across Ben's face as his eyes went gold. "I change too much to remember what I truly look like."

"And I'm going to call you a liar on that one." Albus said, surprising Ben, who eyes went gray. "You remember what you look like. How could you not?"

"My memory is pretty bad." Ben shrugged and turned away as Eleanor approached them. "Hello my princess, how was the snow fight?"

"Cold." She whined, reaching out to hug Ben. "Warm me best friend." He sighed and held his arms out, she eagerly hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her, rolling his eyes at his best friend. "So jealous of your warmth."

"You should've stopped playing when I stopped." He felt her cold face against his warm neck and shivered, but kept her close.

"You two are cute together." Victoire told them, smiling a perfect smile. Her blonde hair was in curls and her eyes were bright.

"We're purely platonic." Ben told her, putting his chin on top of Eleanor's head. "But thank you, we do try to be absolutely, disgustingly, adorable." Eleanor snuggled against him and whined, her nose freezing cold. "Fuck, El, you're too cold for me."

"Get over it." She muttered and Ben looked over at James, who seemed a little angry.

"Wanna join us, Potter?" Ben called out to the male, who raised his eyebrows before he walked over. "We're best friends, right? Group hug!"

"What?" Eleanor questioned as James joined the hug, bringing his freezing self against the two.

"This was a shit idea." Ben whined, now feeling regret. "You two are both cold and I cannot deal with this." James looked happy to get to hug Eleanor, so of course, Ben stuck it out. Eleanor complained, but was content once she became warm. "Seeeeeee? We're hugging. This is friendship."

"This is entrapment." Eleanor mumbled even though she was pretty okay with it now.

* * *

><p>Ben sat in between James and Eleanor at dinner. He was honestly surprised they had a table large enough to fit everyone, but he didn't question it at all. He just ate and smiled at everyone, which was what he usually did.<p>

"Ben, I heard you made Slytherin beater." Harry started, catching the male's attention. "Heard Hugh's making it tough for you as well."

"That's only because Ben flirts with Alice all the time." Rose piped in, taking a bit of her food.

"It's not flirting. I treat everyone like that."

"You don't treat James like that."

"Potter is an unfortunate case." Ben replied quickly, smirking at James. "It's the same way I treat Eleanor and Bailey. It's all extremely platonic. I don't really 'flirt' with people."

"You look like you could be a ladies man." Ron said and Eleanor almost choked on her food. She started laughing and Ben pouted at her.

"Wow. Rude." He told her as her cheeks got red. "I'm not actually anybody's type of man. I have a total of eight friends and I don't think half of them even know I consider us friends. Basically I'm in the same boat as Eleanor." This made the girl stop laughing and glare at him. "You know I'm joking, princess, relax. People aren't really my thing."

"Dragons are." Eleanor muttered with an eyeroll. "All he talks about are dragons."

"I like that." Charlie said, smiling at Ben. "I actually work with dragons."

"No way." Ben's face lit up and Charlie was now his idol. "That's so cool! I want to work with dragons! They're such amazing creatures!"

"Oh gee." Ginny smirked at her brother and Ben, who started to talk about dragons.

"How come dragons always come up at family dinners?" Hugo questioned and Molly chuckled, eating her food.

"Let the two bond over dragons. Tell me how school is going." His mother, Hermione, told him.

"Is he a metamorphmagus?" Teddy questioned, looking at Ben's hair, which went from blue to bright red as he spoke to Charlie. He looked to James, who glanced at Ben.

"Oh, didn't I tell you that?" James questioned, trying to remember if he brought it up.

"That's amazing." Teddy told him, excited that there was someone like him. "You know how rare we are, right? How could you forget?"

"I swore I told someone. I just….kind of forgot that I guess. I'm so used to it it's not really that odd." James said and Eleanor nodded her head in agreement.

"He changes his hair at least five times a day." She told Teddy, who still seemed impressed. "It's a family thing. His grandmother is one as well."

"That's super cool!" Teddy exclaimed as Ben finished his conversation about dragons.

"What's cool? What are we talking about?" He questioned, a little lost.

"That you're a metamorphmagus too!" Teddy was super excited about this and Ben's face lit up, happy to talk to Teddy.

"Yes, it is! It's super cool that you're one too! I've never met one that was closer to my age." Ben told him. "Eleanor mentioned you a few months ago and I got super excited."

"I think he fits it quite well here. Can I leave him here?" Eleanor asked and Ben looked at her like he was a kicked puppy. "Oh, shush, I was joking. Go talk with someone of your kind." He turned back to Teddy instantly and the two picked up where they left off seconds before.

* * *

><p>"Thanks again." Ben told Harry when he dropped them off later that evening.<p>

"It's no problem, everyone loved you two. I guess I'll be seeing you soon, behave and make sure James stays out of trouble." He told them before disappearing. Eleanor led Ben into the house as quietly as she could, hoping her siblings were asleep and wouldn't harass Benjamin.

It seemed quiet, so they hurried upstairs and changed and went through their nightly routine, before meeting up in the fort in the attic.

"Let's just hope the next few days are easy." Eleanor said as she laid next to Ben in the fort. "Hey, don't forget to call Clara."

"Oh, shit, I can't believe I almost forgot." He pulled out his phone and dialed the number quickly, laying back down as it rang. "Hey, ma. How ya doing?"

Eleanor listened to him talk, his Boston accent stronger now that he was talking to his family. He sounded so sweet when he spoke to Clara and his step mother, and sassy when he spoke to his older brother and father.

His voice was soothing and she fell asleep quickly.

* * *

><p>The door to the attic swung open the next morning and Caleb was running up the stairs and towards the fort before Eleanor knew what was happening. She was curled up with Ben, happily asleep when the top sheet was ripped off the fort.<p>

"Wake up! Two Potters and a Weasley are here to see you!" He exclaimed, waking Benjamin up. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm fucking sleeping." Ben spat, not pleased with how he was woken up. Eleanor glanced at the clock. It was almost noon, so her mother probably sent Caleb to come wake them up. He went to bed late last night and was in a bad mood.

"Next to my sister?" Caleb looked like he was ready to kill Ben. "First you try to hide you're a Slytherin, then you go and sleep with my sister!?"

"The hell? I didn't do shit!" Ben got up now, sick and tired of Caleb. "We do this stuff all the time and it's none of your business!"

"She's my little sister! It is my business!"

"Fuck that." Eleanor was surprised at how vulgar Ben was being and she got up quickly, wanting them to stop arguing.

"Ben, come on." She mumbled and he glanced at her before looking back at Caleb.

"No way, princess." Ben told her and glared at Caleb. "I'm an older brother too, so I know that how you treat Eleanor is shit. You can't go around ignoring her accomplishments just because you've already graduated, and you can't go talking about how Potter is going to go pro, when Eleanor is far better than he is!" He argued, too pissed to care how angry Caleb would be with him. "She shouldn't have to dread coming home for the holidays because you and your sister are here! She should be happy to see you and you should be happy to hear about how well she's doing, not belittle her and treat her like she's a child."

"Look, Slytherin, I don't need you butting into my business!"

"Apparently you do since you're too blind to see this shit for yourself, Gryffindor!" Ben balled his fists. "I'm not going to stand around and let you treat Eleanor like this anymore!"

"Then maybe you should go." Caleb said in a threatening tone and reached out to grab Ben, who dodged him quickly. Ben took off down the stairs, knowing there was no way he could beat Caleb in a fight, but maybe he could outrun him. Caleb ran after him, and Eleanor after him.

Ben tore down the stairs to the second floor, then down to the first floor. He ran into the living room, passed Amelia who shouted as Caleb chased him. He rushed by Mr. Wood's office and through the kitchen were Mrs. Wood was. Eleanor was screaming after them as Caleb pulled out his wand to cast a spell on Ben.

"Ben?!" Rose shouted as he ran past her, Albus, and James in the hallway.

He wasn't dressed properly, but the only place he had left to go was out the door. He swung the door open and was running barefoot down the icy cold stairs. The cold air hit his face and he wished he had gotten dressed before he had yelled at Caleb.

"Caleb, stop it!" Eleanor shouted and Ben knew Caleb was right behind him.

"What the hell is going on?!" Mr. Wood shouted as Ben jumped the fence into the backyard. Everyone seemed to be following the chase now, even in the bitter cold. "Caleb! Benjamin! Damn it where is my wand? Stop you two!"

"I'm going to destroy him!" Caleb was pissed as hell and wasn't going to let Benjamin out of this. He grabbed onto Ben's sleeve, giving up on trying to hit him with a spell, and yanked him back. Ben flew back and slammed into the ice cold ground.

"Stop!" Eleanor got in front of Ben before Caleb could do any more damage. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"What the hell is wrong with the both of you?" Mr. Wood shouted at Ben and Caleb. Ben just groaned, starting to feel light headed and his whole body ached from being thrown to the ground. He was freezing cold and his toes were numb.

"Ben was just defending me, dad." Eleanor told her father right away before she turned to Ben. "Are you okay? C'mon, get up. Your clothes are soaking wet and you'll freeze to death." She helped him up, glaring at Caleb before leading Ben inside. James, Rose, and Albus followed quickly into the kitchen, where Mrs. Wood was, trying to figure out what happened. "It was all Caleb's fault, mom." Eleanor told her shaking her head at her brother, who was walking towards the house with their father.

Eleanor led them upstairs to the attic and made Ben go into the bathroom that was there. She fetched him dry clothes, locked the attic door behind her, and gave them to him.

"What the hell happened?" James asked as Eleanor fixed the roof of their fort while Ben changed clothes.

"Caleb was being an asshole to me, so Ben went off on him." Eleanor told them. "Caleb and Amelia and I don't really see eye-to-eye. The age gap kind of makes it hard for us to really get along, and…..they don't treat me fairly. Ben just got sick of it and went off."

"Oh.." Rose mumbled, still holding onto a small bag. "We came to bring you your scarf back. You accidentally left it yesterday…I guess we have pretty bad timing….."

Ben came out in new clothes and limped over to Eleanor, who pushed them all into the fort.

"This is really nice.." Albus was extremely impressed by how large and warm it was.

"Well hopefully they'll leave us alone and let us remain in here." Eleanor grumbled, pulling Ben to sit down next to her. "Are you okay? Are you cut anywhere? Is anything broken?"

"My leg just hurts because I fell on it weird and my side is probably going to bruise. I'll be fine." Ben grumbled, upset. "Your parents are going to kick me out."

"No they won't!" Eleanor exclaimed, shaking her head. "I refuse to let them. You were protecting me." Eleanor patted his head, looking up at him. "It's only a few more days and then we can go back to school. We won't come home for Easter break."

"You can't run from your problems." Ben told her.

"You sure did." Rose said and Ben shot her a look, making her shut up. "Well you did…I'm surprised he didn't hit you with a charm or something."

"That's why I ran in zig zags." Ben told them, hand on his side. "One thing is for sure, my ass is in trouble."

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to my parents." Eleanor told him. "Caleb needed to hear that! He's so obnoxious and I should have done it myself. I couldn't even stand up to him." She mumbled as she heard knocking at the attic door.

"We should probably leave." Albus said to Rose and James. Neither looked like they were ready to go, but it was probably for the best that they left.

"You can use the floo we have up here." Eleanor led them out the fort and over to the fireplace. "I'll see you three at school next week…thank you for bringing my scarf. Sorry it was such horrible timing." She smiled at them and James patted her shoulder. Rose threw powder before saying clearly where they wanted to go, and they were gone.

"I'll answer the door." Ben mumbled, peaking his head out of the fort. He tried to get out but winced and groaned. "F-Fuck…"

"Don't move! One of your ribs might have been broken! Your side hit the ground real hard." Eleanor told him, hurrying over to him. "Lay there." She ordered and went over to the door. She unlocked it and peaked her head through the crack. Her father stood there, looking tired.

"Eleanor." He said. "I knocked instead of using a spell." She opened the door all the way and looked at him. "What happened?"

"It was Caleb's fault, okay dad?" She told him quickly. "Caleb had just been….he's been pissing me off and I hate coming home to see him and Amelia. They don't treat me fairly. Ben just got tired of them treating me like that and told him and Caleb got violent. It doesn't help that Caleb found out that Ben is in Slytherin. Plus, Caleb started yelling at Ben because he slept in the fort with me, but, we've done that since we made it. Ben's been more of a brother than Caleb has been."

He nodded his head as she spoke and sighed when she was done. "Alright…well…Benjamin, you aren't in trouble." He called to the male, who was hidden in the fort.

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Wood. I'm sorry." Ben mumbled, peaking his head out of the fort.

"Are you alright? You hit the ground hard. Nothing broken, yeah?"

"Nothing broken. Just sore. Extremely sore. I'm just….goin' lay here…" He waved his arm and groaned, retreating back into the fort.

"Make sure to get a good look at him, okay, Ellie?" He looked at his daughter. "He won't let any of us touch him, I know that much. Don't worry about Caleb, he's going back to work tomorrow and so is Amelia. You three, well, now four..." He said, including Benjamin in this matter. "Are all adults and your mother and I will let you all work it out." With that, he was gone, closing the door behind him.


	11. Chapter 11

**There will be a little more BenxAl sprinkled in the next few chapters but this story is from their fifth to their seventh year and I have tons of stuff planned for later chapters**

* * *

><p>"Good to see you're still alive." James said as he passed by Ben's table at breakfast a week later. "How's the bruise?"<p>

"Very purple." Ben muttered, side still sore from the previous week's incident. "Want to see it?"

"Not really.." James muttered, hovering by the table. "You didn't get in trouble, did you?"

"No, thankfully." The rest of the week had been awkward for Ben. Eleanor's parents didn't treat him any differently, but he felt like he made a mess of things. He didn't regret doing it though. Caleb needed to hear the truth.

He knew there was no way he was going to get to stay with them again next year, and if he couldn't stay with Eleanor, he wasn't going to come back.

The bruise put him in a shit mood all day and he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone. He kept his hair black and eyes gray as he trudged through the busy day. It was stuffed with essays and homework and reminders about O.W.L.S. and his future and other shit he was too tired to think about it.

It was snowy and disgusting outside and it made his mood worse.

"That's it." Alice stomped over to his and James' table in Divination. They were free to work on a quiz together and she had finished it quickly. "Let me see the bruise. You must be over reacting." She was tired of seeing Ben so gloomy.

"Excuse me, I'm not James." Ben told her and James was going to argue, but Fred shot him a look. James was over dramatic. "I don't wanna show you it." He didn't want to get snippy with Alice, but, it was getting difficult.

"Ben, let me touch you." Alice reached to pull his robe back.

"Alice, come on, you have a boyfriend." He smirked and pushed her hands away, trying to get her to stop. She just glared at him and pulled his robe back and lifted up his sweater.

"Oh my god, Ben!" She exclaimed, seeing the bruised side. It was black, blue, purple, and an ugly yellow in some spots. "What the hell?"

"It's not as bad as it seems." He pulled his sweater down and shot her a look. "Really. It only hurts when I breathe."

"Caleb really got him." Alice sat down next to Eleanor, head in her hands. "Ben, you are ridiculous, you know that? You aren't going to go to practice this weekend, right? It won't be healed by then."

"Of course I'm going to practice!" He exclaimed eagerly. "Practice is the bomb. Alice, I'll be fine. I already reassured Ellie, so you don't have to worry. I can take care of myself. I barely notice it." That part was a lie, but he didn't want her to worry about him. She looked at him, but let it go, deciding not to push him. She could tell his temper was shot, and while Ben never got angry or yelled at her, she knew there was always a first time for everything.

* * *

><p>"I cannot believe he's playing this game." Eleanor muttered to herself, head in her hands.<p>

"He'll be fine." Lysander told her.

"He could barely move, even three days after the incident. He's clearly in pain!" She exclaimed and pointed as Ben slammed his bat into the bludger and sent it flying.

She was right, he was in extreme pain. Tomorrow he wouldn't even get out of bed, but, today he had to play. Every time he swung the bat or took a breath, it hurt and burned, but he had been through worse before.

"He just wants to make you happy." Alice said the announcer screamed something. She made a face, annoyed by the loud noise, but she was used to it by now. "Frank is doing amazing today." She watched her brother zoom by, a chaser for Hufflepuff.

"I told him he shouldn't play." Eleanor told the small group, shaking her head. "He's so stubborn."

"Look who's talking." Lorcan muttered, glancing at his twin. The game had been very good so far but he knew Eleanor was too focused in one Benjamin to even watch the game.

"I'm too worried." She knew she should relax. Ben wasn't a child, he knew his limits, but, Eleanor knew he ignored his limits. He was going to push himself until he really got hurt. He was moving slower than usual but he hit the bludger with more force than she thought he was capable of. She saw him wince after every hit and she was begging someone would catch the snitch and end the game. At this point, she didn't care who won.

"Eleanor, relax." Bailey told her, wishing she wasn't so on edge. It was no use though, because Eleanor wasn't going to listen to him.

The watched the game closely and it was a very neighboring match. The two teams were on top of each other and tied at the moment

Hufflepuff's seeker was close to catching it but Eleanor was focused in on Ben, who was slammed into by one of the Hufflepuff beaters. He was sent flying and crashed into the side of the arena. He landed on the ground, hard, and Eleanor screamed as the announcer shouted about the hit and whether or not he was going to get back up.

Ben really hated life sometimes. His vision was getting black and he was fading but he heard Eleanor screams above everything else. "Elenaor shut up I'm fine!" He shouted as Frank flew near him.

Frank was the team captain for Hufflepuff and Ben really liked him. He wasn't an asshole, at all, probably because Alice was his sister and Ben was friends with her. "You okay?" He shouted down to Ben, who just gave him a thumbs up. He chuckled and flew off towards Eleanor's stand, where the girl was still screaming. "Ben says to shut up. He's fine." He told her and her face got red.

"Thanks Frank." Alice told her brother with an eye roll. He laughed and flew off to rejoin the game. "He shouldn't have played!"

"I told you!" Eleanor exclaimed and the two girls ranted about it. "This game needs to end now! Ben needs to go see a nurse! I bet he has some broken ribs now!"

"He could be knocked out cold down there! He could have brain damage!" Alice added, both extremely worried about Ben.

Ben was fine. He thought. He was kind of out of it. His torso hurt and he wasn't going to be able to walk properly but he thought he was fine.

Then he blacked out.

* * *

><p>"Ben….oi…Ben!" James was shaking him, trying to wake him up. He was really worried about the male. "Please, Ben, get up."<p>

"I'm here…" Ben groaned, waving his hand around. It smacked James, who stumbled back. He sat up, groaning, and holding his head with his hand. "Where…..what…" He opened his eyes slowly, looking at James. "Fuck!" He exclaimed, hands covering his face.

"Relax. The teams are in the locker room. I hurried out here to get you. God, convincing Eleanor to stay out there was awful. You owe me. You have no clue how hard it was for them to let me come out here and not have the nurses out here." He helped Ben up and grabbed the male's broom for him. "I knew you got knocked out. I don't still why you don't want anyone to see what you actually look like, but whatever. A few of them saw you but your face was to the side so no worries." He shrugged as Ben limped with him. "You're fine, yeah?"

"Yeah, fine. Just a little…out of it." He grumbled, leaning on James more as his face and hair changed, along with his eye color, back to what it usually was. "I'm used to this sort of thing. Clara has accidently knocked me out before." He explained as James helped him to the locker room.

"There you are, Youngblood!" His captain said as he approached them. "You alright? Potter said he had it under control, but, still worried a bit."

"I'm good, sorry about…blacking out." He didn't know what to really say. He felt sick and really wanted to go lay down. He stripped off his uniform and slowly put on his normal clothes as James helped him. "Did we win at least?"

"You getting knocked out like that seemed to pump up the others. We kicked their arses." He smirked proudly, patting Ben's shoulder. "So good job. Go get some medical attention and if they tell you not to come to practice, don't, yeah?" He told him before leaving.

"They were really ruthless after that." James told him as they left the locker rooms. "Lean on me." He told Ben, forcing the now purple haired male to lean on him. "We're going to see a nurse." He pushed the door open and saw the three girls standing there.

"Ben!" Eleanor shouted when she saw them. She ran over to him, her hands instantly going to his face. "Are you okay? Was he knocked out, James? Where do you hurt?"

"I only blacked out for like….a minute." Ben actually had no idea how long he was knocked out.

"Benjamin, you were out for an hour." Alice told them as she joined them, shaking her head. "We need to get you to the infirmary."

"I can't believe you're walking." Bailey sighed as they all headed back towards the school. "Are you really sure you're okay?"

"All I need to do is sleep." He told them, shaking his head. "I was out for an hour? It didn't feel like that…"

"That guy hit you really hard." Eleanor mumbled, letting Ben lean on her now. "Urg, he better hope I don't run into him! I'll take him down!" She exclaimed, getting furious all over again. "I was so ready to jump him the second you hit the ground!"

"Ellie, c'mon, he was playing the game." Ben replied, head aching. Her yelling made his head ache more and he was starting to fade out again. "Uh…" He mumbled and James was on his other side instantly, helping him.

"Ellie I think your yelling is hurting his head." James told her, trying to not make the girl feel bad. "He just needs to sleep and he'll be fine."

"Amazing when James is the voice of reason." Alice smirked at her friend who stuck his tongue out at her. "But I think he's right. Ben just needs some peace and quiet. He'll sleep and feel better."

"I'm right here." Ben muttered, glancing at them. "I just need a nap. You guys don't have to get so worried about me, really. I've been through worse stuff before."

"It doesn't mean we aren't going to worry!" Eleanor told him, frowning at him. "We're your friends, of course we're going to worry about you! Now you're going to do everything the nurse tells you to do and you won't get out of bed until she says you can!"

Ben looked at her as she ranted before he rolled his eyes and patted her head. She shot him a look, but let it go as they made it to the infirmary and got him checked out by a nurse.

* * *

><p>Ben really was tired of being confined to the bed. He needed to move his hands and do something.<p>

"Relax, Benny." Alice sighed, pushing a chair over to his bed. She had been coming to visit him a few times a day to make sure he didn't fall too far behind with school. "Eleanor wanted to come by again, but, I told her to go to her Quidditch practice."

"Thank you." Ben told her, sitting up more in his bed. Eleanor had been focusing more on Ben than qudditch or her studies and he knew that wasn't good. He loved to have her visit but he was fine. She didn't need to come five times a day to check up on him. "I'll be out of here soon. They just want my bruise to heal up so I don't hurt myself any more."

"Good. It's too quiet around here without you." Alice ruffled his white hair and smiled at him. It was Thursday and the week really had been boring with Ben hanging around them. "I can't believe Caleb came after you like that. He's really carefree and fun to be around. I thought you two would get along."

"I don't tend to get along with assholes much." He mumbled as he messed with the pillow behind his back. "I don't like how he and Amelia treated Eleanor."

"They aren't the kindest to her." Alice agreed, shaking her head. "I think what you did was admirable. Eleanor would have never stood up to her siblings like that. I tried to tell her that's not how you're supposed to treat siblings. They treat her like she's nothing and that isn't right. I'm glad someone finally stuck it to them. They shouldn't be bothering her anymore."

"Yeah, well, I got a feeling I won't be allowed back there." He grumbled, looking at his hands in his lap. "I'll probably be back in America next school year. If I can't stay with Ellie there's no point."

"But Ben, you have to come back." Alice grabbed his hands and held them tightly, surprising him. "We'll all miss you if you don't come back. What would Eleanor do without you looking out for her?"

Ben thought about it, feeling Alice's eyes on him. "I'll see. I don't really want to go back to my school anyway. It's lonely there. Plus, Potter and Eleanor will never get together if I go back home." This made Alice laugh and she took her hands from Ben and flipped a few pages in her book.

"Good. Now, let's get to studying, or you'll really be behind." Alice chided and he groaned, not in the mood. He and Alice had really been hitting the books hard and he was bored of it.

"I want to run and play." He whined. "Potter always brings treats for me." It was true. James always brought cool things from his Uncle's shop and sweets for them to munch on and always had gossip. Eleanor and Alice always tutored him and caught him up with school work.

"Well, Potter has been misbehaving and has been getting detention so his playtime with you is about non-existent at the moment and for the future." Alice told him, trying to get him to direct his attention back to his studies. "I know you hate being confined here, but, that's not much more you can do."

"I want to draw." He mumbled, rubbing his hands together. "I need to do something with my hands, Alice. All I do is sleep and watch the nurses and study but I need to move my hands and I need to draw. I feel paranoid and nervous." He confessed, feeling a bit embarrassed that something so simple was causing him to become upset.

"You want me to get Albus or Rose or Scorpius to fetch your sketchbook? I usually run into them after leaving here." Alice offered, knowing something was off about him. He had gotten quiet the last couple of times she came for a visit, and that was never good.

"Really?" He questioned, eyes lighting up. "Yes, please! It's so boring here and I'm going to be in here at least until next Monday. This is killing me slowly not having anything to do."

"You could always study and catch up on homework." Alice reminded him, putting her book up. They just weren't going to get anything done today so she decided to quit while she was behind.

"Alice. You don't understand." He told her, a serious expression on his face. "I've done all my homework. I've read ahead for ALL of my classes. I could ace my next exams no problem. I am bored and out of my mind."

"You've….really done it all?" She questioned, eyebrows raised. There was no way he did he homework.

"Yes." He replied and reached over to the other side of the bed and pulled up a few books with papers in them. "Could you turn my homework and stuff in for me?" He asked, handing it to her. "I stuck all the homework in the book that matches the class. I've read all the books. ALL OF THEM. Literally Alice I am going mad. I started speaking with a British accent this morning. I'm losing my mind."

"I'll get you that sketch book." She said, taking his homework from him and leaving the books with him. "I like your Boston accent. It's cute."

"Thanks, I try. You should hear me when I'm with my family. It's so….there." He chuckled, feeling much better now that he was going to have his sketch book back in his hands.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling, Benny?" Eleanor asked the next day when she came and visited him. "Alice told me you did all of your school work and actually read ahead for your classes so I was little worried you had brain damage."<p>

"Okay that was fucking rude." He told her, sketching in his sketch book. "I actually listened to you and did my school work."

"I was just playing around, you dork." She ruffled his pink hair and sat down next to him. "Are you feeling any better?"

"It still kind of hurts to bend over, but, the nurses said by Monday it should be much better. I think they plan on getting me some medication to knock me out the entire weekend so my body can rest. I've been testing their patience lately. I was good today though." He seemed proud of himself for not taking a piss out of the nurses, which made Eleanor roll her eyes. "I'm glad my parents sent me a few sketch books for Christmas. I've almost filled up this one." He said and she directed her attention to it. She snatched it from his hands, getting nosy about what was in it. "Hey!"

"I want to take a peek!" She told him and flipped through it, looking at the pages with intent eyes. Ben squirmed a bit, nervous has she looked at his drawings. "Ben…" She stopped at one of Alice. It was like she was looking straight at you, a small smile on her lips as she stared into your soul. "Ben this is so beautiful."

"Eh, I couldn't get her nose right." He mumbled, embarrassed when she flipped the page and froze.

"You drew me?!" She asked, looking at him with wide eyes before looking back to the page, seeing a drawing of herself sitting at the table in the Great Hall, a piece of toast in one hand and the other hand on a book that was on the table. Even in the drawing, she looked so focus on the book and it even looked like she had a bit of the toast in her mouth and was chewing it as she read.

"I draw you a lot. You're very animated." He told her with a shrug. "Plus, I see you a lot. I could draw you even after a month of being apart. Your details are engraved in my head. Which sounds creepy but it's not supposed to be creepy. I just mean, I can't forget you and what you look like or how you eat your toast and get crumbs all over the book your reading and then that face you make when I tease you about it." He grinned as she pouted at him, but then look back to the drawing, taking it all in.

"Ben this is really….amazing. It looks so real…." She ran her fingers over it lightly, in awe over it. "You're so talented." She looked up at him and his cheeks were red with embarrassed. "Awah, all flustered?"

"Can it, Ellie. I'm glad you like it though. Most people get angry that I draw them without their permission."

"I find it flattering. I'm so telling Alice about that drawing of her. She'll love it." Eleanor told him, looking through the rest. "I'll get Albus to bring you the one your parents sent you for Christmas since this one is almost filled up."

"Thank youuuuuuuuu!" He grinned, taking his sketch book back from her.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Ben." Albus greeted, sitting down next to him. "You awake?" He asked, looking at the male. He looked half asleep as he looked at Albus.<p>

"Yeah….nurses gave me stuff." He replied with a yawn. "I'm fighting it though. They want me to sleep this entire weekend away…I say neighhhhhhhhhhhh."

"You need to go to sleep." Albus set the sketch book on the nightstand next to his bed as Benjamin yawned again. Albus had missed the male the past week. He was a lot of fun at lunch and the two usually ended up in the common room together late into the night. Ben would draw and Albus would read, the two in comfortable silence.

"Albus, please." He grumbled, sitting up to keep himself awake. Albus chuckled at how hard he was trying to stay awake.

"How's the bruise?"

"It's going away. Ribs are much better. They want me to knock out and sleep so I stop moving around so much. I should be back at it on Monday." He told him, rubbing his eyes. "I acted well today but then they gave me this shitty tasting stuff."

"So you began to whine?" Ben shot him a look after he asked this, but he still laughed.

"I will not sit around and be drugged!" Ben's mind was already getting hazy and keeping his eyes open was getting difficult. "Urg…" He grumbled, yawning once more. "Albussssss." Ben was hitting his arm now and Albus looked at him. "You're so cuteeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Shut up and go to sleep." Albus took the other sketch book off of Ben's lap and flipped through it, looking at each picture carefully. Ben went quiet and when he glanced up, the male was knocked out cold, face buried in his pillow. Albus chuckled and went back to looking through his sketch book.

The ones at the start were older ones he must have done back home. There were a few of his siblings all over one page, then one of his stepmother and one he guessed was his grandmother. Many of the other pictures were dragons in between pages of drawings of his family. Albus decided to stay and continue looking through his sketchbook.

"You really are talented…" He mumbled to Ben, even though he knew he was asleep. He just didn't expect Ben, the hyperactive Slytherin, to be able to sit and focus on someone or something and draw them. The drawings soon turned to ones of Eleanor, then Alice, Lorcan and Lysander, James, Bailey, and really anyone he came in contact with. He stopped on the page that had a picture of him, Rose, and Scorpius. They were outside, sitting in the class with their backs against the short stone wall in one of the many courtyards.

Rose was talking, her hands in the air like she was describing something. Scorpius seemed to be rolling his eyes, so it was possible Ben caught them in an argument. He saw himself there too, reading a book. The shading was perfect and it was obvious he spent a lot of time of on this drawing.

He felt a little embarrassed, because it meant he had watched them, watched Albus, and gotten them down so perfectly. He flipped to the next page and the page after that, examining each one. When he finally got to the end, it was about an hour later.

"Al…" Ben's voice was hoarse and groggy as he rolled over on the bed to face Al. He had the blanket pulled over his head and all Al saw was the male's bright blue eyes. Al reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and handed it to him. He gulped it down before handing it back to Al and sighing, settling back under the covers and closing his eyes again.

Albus decided to stay and read his book, waiting until Ben woke up again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites!**

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><p>It felt weird walking and going to class after a week of bed rest, but Ben was happy to be freed. He was in such a good mood and he felt so much better now that his bruise and ribs healed up.<p>

Of course, when he got to Dark Arts class, his good mood was killed in an instant. He had done all his homework, but apparently he did it all wrong and was forced to do an extra essay assignment to pull up his grade, which was stupid because he knew he did his homework right. He was so bored in the bed, he had actually done everything right and double checked himself.

"She really hates you." James muttered as they left the class. He could see the professor was honing in on Ben and she was taking it too far. "You should talk to the Headmistress…"

"Nah, I'll live." He grumbled, brushing it off. He didn't want to cause a big deal out of this and he refused to be sent back to America because of it. All the other American students would be sent back too and they wouldn't be allowed to go back to Hogwarts. "This essay is bullshit though."

"We should fill her office with bubble juice." James suggest and Ben went quiet, thinking it over.

"Potter…..maybe." The two smirked at each other and McGonagall sighed as she walked past them in the hallway.

"Mr. Youngblood, Mr. Potter, please wipe those devious looks off of your faces." She couldn't believe she got stuck with three generations of pranksters and this American.

"Oh, Professor, don't sweat it!" Ben grinned, winking at her. "We're not planning anything."

"Yeah, no worries. We're just…uh.."

"Thinking about girls." Ben finished for James and elbowed him. "And boys."

"I'm thinking about girls." James glared at Ben as he watched Albus walk by them. "Eyes off my brother!" Ben smirked at his friend, having fun teasing him.

"Just stay out of trouble, please." McGonagall didn't deserve this.

* * *

><p>Ben finished the essay and slipped it under her office door like she had asked him to do. Even if she wanted him to hand it to her, he wouldn't. He hated her so much, probably as much as she hated him.<p>

He thought he could get used to it, but she was starting to make Hogwarts life difficult. January was just a hellish month for him, mostly due to the injury and to her, but he was determined to make February better.

"Ready for Valentines day?" Ben questioned his group at dinner time. They all shot him a look and he laughed loudly. "Awah, got no baes to spend it with?

"Be quiet, Benjamin. Valentine's day is just annoying. Yes, it's cute for couples, but boyfriends get in the way of studying and Quidditch!" Eleanor exclaimed and pulled her hair up in a messy bun, tired of it being in her face while she tried to study. "O.W.L.S. are important and you can't spend your free time on a boyfriend or girlfriend. You need to be studying."

"Don't shoot that at me. I'm not in a relationship and I doubt I will be in the next….twelve days." He said, thinking to what day it was. "Studying is so boring though."

"Don't fall behind." Alice nudged him from the right of him, shaking her head. "You've finally caught up and you need to start studying for these exams too."

"You not going out with Hugh on Valentine's Day?" Ben questioned, looking at the short haired brunette girl.

"I don't know. He's been grinding my nerves lately. He complains that I never spend time with him anymore and he's always whining about how I give you more attention." This made Ben smirk and Alice shot him a look.

"Isn't it because I'm cuter than him?" Ben asked and Alice patted his cheek.

"Much cuter, Ben. I thought maybe my feelings would change and it would be like it was at the start of our relationship, but I don't think that's the case. I'll have to give it a lot of thought. I don't need him causing a distraction right now." She sighed and Bailey patted her friend's hand to comfort her.

* * *

><p>"You know, Potter, I don't see why you and I can't ever get potions right." Ben mumbled as he walked the hallways with his best friend. "We do everything right."<p>

"I think it's because we're too busy making fun of each other and the professor." James replied with a sigh. "We need to step up our game. I really got to pass some of these O.W.L.S."

"I just got get an O Charms and Transfiguration….and maybe another one…..what was it?" He questioned, making a face. "Well damn, no wonder Eleanor and Alice are so worried about me failing. Care of Magical Creatures, that was it!" He exclaimed, remembering it. "I don't see why everyone is so worked up. I'm totally ready for these exams….minus charms."

"Transfiguration will be easy for you, it's what you've been doing your whole life, and magical creatures will be easy too, right?" James questioned, a little annoyed the male was so confident in himself. James was confident, but he was going to have to study his ass off.

"Of course. Gran always taught me about different magical creatures. She took me to see all these cools types when I lived with her. I mean, ya know, didn't have much practice in socializing with other kids my age but at least I wasn't an idiot I suppose." He shrugged, thinking about it. "Plus Hagrid really likes me and gives me books to read. Charms is the only thing I might have issues with, but the twins are good tutors and so is Alice."

"Eh, you fancy her?" James asked, smirking now. "You two are always really close, and it's different than with you and Ellie."

"Alice? Nooooo." Ben shook his head, thinking about the girl. "She's amazing and beautiful, but I'm not really into having a relationship right now, especially since I'll be shipped back to America in a few months. Plus, she's dating Hugh, and I don't move in on people who are in relationships."

"But you'll flirt with my baby brother." James muttered and Ben put his arm around James' shoulders, laughing loudly.

"I do that to piss you off!" He exclaimed and froze when he was hit in the face with an envelope. "What's this?" He asked when he pulled it off his face and James stopped and looked at it.

"I think it's a love letter. It has hearts all over it and smells really nice. Be careful, might have a love potion in itttttttt~!" He chuckled and elbowed Ben.

"I don't think this was meant for me." Ben really couldn't believe this. He never got love letters. From anyone. "Uh…" He flipped it over in his hands and saw his name on it. He looked around the hallway, but it was empty.

"Mate, open it!" James exclaimed and Ben was about to when he froze.

"Dude. What time is it?" He questioned. They gave each other panicked looks and dashed off, hoping to make it to Dark Arts class before Professor Selwyn gave them both detentions.

James rushed into class and slid into his seat, panting and out of breath. Benjamin came right after him, but the professor turned around before he could make it to his seat.

"Mr. Youngblood. Detention." She said before he could tell her why he was late. James looked ready to protest it too, to say he was late as well, but she shot him a look and he closed his mouth.

"Don't worry about it." Ben told James as she resumed class. "You seriously don't want detention with her."

"But I was late too." James argued, feeling guilty.

"Seriously, man, its fine." Ben was more forceful this time. "I got caught, you didn't. It happens." He really didn't want James to have to undergo the torture he knew he was going to get.

He flipped the letter over and over in his hands, wanting to open it, but not wanting to at the same time. It could be a prank, or it could be real. He wasn't too sure he wanted to know.

Class went by in a blur and he stashed the letter away in his bag because the last thing he wanted was the professor getting her disgusting hands on it. He followed her up to her office and she poured herself some tea while he sat at the desk, ready for another session of pain.

"Why were you late to my class today, Mr. Youngblood?" She asked, pushed a lone strand of hair out of her face. She had a forced smile on her face and her voice was light and sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Ben.

"I just lost track of time. I got distracted." He replied, wondering if he could avoid writing today. "I'm sorry."

"Why do you constantly have to stand out in a crowd of well-behaved studies? Every time I sit down to enjoy my meal, whether its breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I see you there, with your brightly colored hair or disheveled clothes. It is _very_ disturbing."

"Disturbing? I kind of can't help it, professor. I'm a metamorphmagus. I change. I stand out. It's what I do." He argued, not going to let her sit here and tell him that he was disturbing.

"You need to stop. It's a distraction to the other students and during this stressful time, it might cause issues." She stirred her tea and took a sip of it while Ben tried to process this. "I know that you like the attention you receive from constantly standing out, but it's unhealthy. It's unfortunate what happened to your mother, but, you know, I had problems with my mother too."

"Excuse me?" Ben asked, started to get frustrated. What did she know about his mother?

"I was such a young girl when she was taken from me, it was so upsetting." She sighed, shaking her head. "She adopted me and raised me, but she was taken from me too early. She was an amazing woman. My aunt raised me the best she could, but, I still miss my mother."

"I'm…sorry….?" Ben didn't know what to say. This lady's mother must have been a mad woman.

"So I know you miss the attention from your mother, but, you can't act out to get it. It's unhealthy."

"Professor, I'm not acting out for the attention. I like to change my hair color. It's something I enjoy it. I don't care what other people think." He didn't understand what the issues were.

"You need to start caring!" She seemed to lose her temper for a second. She took a deep breath and relaxed, sipping her tea. "Excuse that outburst. You need to care. Looks are important. As a Slytherin, I do not understand why you have such a carefree attitude about this. I chalk it up to your mother being a muggle."

"Don't speak about my mother. Just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't be happy or carefree. You're stereotyping is disgusting, Professor." He wasn't going to let her speak down to him anymore.

"That tone of voice is disrespectful." She said and stood, walking out from behind her desk. "I didn't want to have to do this, but, you need to be taught a lesson." She put the paper and quill in front of him and he glared at her. "You know what to do. 'I will not stand out' forty times. Hopefully it will stick this time."

"Yeah right." He muttered to himself, but began writing it out. He knew she was watching, waiting for that moment on his face where he regretted speaking back to her and standing up for himself, but Ben refused to give her that satisfaction.

He should turn her into McGonagall, but, would anyone believe him? He was worried they wouldn't and he was worried they would send him back home early. He'd rather put up with this then get sent back home right now. He really wanted to finish out his schooling at Hogwarts and trying to get this professor fired might destroy that chance he had. Plus, what if the board found out? There's no way they'd do foreign exchange again. That meant Bailey would have no chance to come back here, and neither would he or any other student who found this school more enjoyable than their previous one.

His hand was on fire as he finished up the session. It started to shake as he dropped the quill on the paper and this time he concerned the mark wouldn't go away.

"You are dismissed." She said and he bolted out of the office. He stuck his shaking hand in his pants' pocket while he dodged his way through the hallway, trying to find some place to hide away for a while. His room was out of the question, because his roommates were there and would talk to him, they started to warm up to him and actually liked him now. He couldn't go to the library because James knew he hid out there sometimes and Albus could very easily be there, and lying to Albus was next to impossible.

He sighed and headed out of the castle into one of the courtyards, hoping none of his friends were there. He looked around and didn't see them, so he settled by the short stone wall and sighed, pulling his hand out of his pocket to examine it.

It was red and it stung and the writing was still there. This time he had a feeling it wasn't going to fade away, and he had to figure out what to do. Maybe he could cover it up? He was sure if he concentrated he could transfigure his hand. Right now, it hurt too much to do anything about it, so he just kept the right hand by his side and out of the other students' views.

He pulled out the letter and stared at it, not sure what he was going to do. He wasn't romantically into anyone, nor did he want to be, but he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by turning them down.

"What is that?" Alice questioned, startling him. She laughed when he jumped away and sat down next to him. "Don't be so jumpy. Oh….is that a love letter?" She looked more serious now and reached for it. He kept his right hand away from her. She looked it over, noticing it wasn't open. "You haven't opened it?"

"No. I don't know what to do." He admitted, a little embarrassed. "Never really had girls liking me before…."

"Really? I find that unbelievable. You're very likable, Benjamin. I'm kind of surprised no one has sent you one of these things earlier." She handed it back to him and looked at him, waiting for him to open it.

Ben couldn't really open it with one hand. He sighed, focusing on his hand and prayed it worked as he lifted it from his side. Alice didn't say anything, so he glanced down at it, and the writing was gone. He knew it was due to his transfiguration on it, but maybe later when he was bathing he could see if it disappeared. He ripped it open and looked down at the letter.

"Whoever it is, they have great handwriting." Alice looked over his shoulder at the cute cursive writing.

"Dear Benjamin, you most likely do not know me, and I hope I do not sound like a creeper, but, I think you're really cute and funny. You've spoken to me a few times in the hallway and you're very kind. I'm too scared to ask you this in person, so I'm writing this to you to ask if you'd like to go on a date with me on Valentines Day. I totally understand if you have someone else you are interested in or just not interested. From, Amanda Hensley." He read out loud, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Awah, that's sweet."

"I don't know who she is?" He questioned, trying to picture her. "I don't think I know her. What should I do?"

"She's a Hufflepuff in Albus' year. You really don't remember her? I see her looking at you all the time during meals. I'm not that surprised she fancies you." She nudged Ben's shoulder, smirking at him. "What are you doing to do?"

"Uh….I guess go out with her? I don't really want to hurt her feelings and I guess I could just go out on a date with her." Ben shrugged and looked at the letter. "Or should I just shoot her down?"

"I think you should go, it might be fun. You can always tell her you're just not interested in a relationship right now. She's a sweet girl, I'm sure she'll understand." Alice told him, hoping he would go out with the girl. "Eleanor is going to want to hound this poor girl."

"Oh yeah, Ellie is going to want to know everything about this girl." Ben chuckled thinking of his best friend. "She's going to grill her." Alice leaned against him, laughing a bit.

"I can imagine it now. She just told you to stay focused on your studies too."

"I picture fire coming out of her mouth." Ben glanced to Alice, and both began to laugh. Pain shot through his hand and he winced, holding onto his hand.

"Hey, is something wrong?" Alice asked, holding onto his arm and looking at his hand in concern.

"I got detention and I had to write this sentence over and over again and my hand is just cramping a bit." He lied, trying to cover it up. If Alice saw, she'd immediately rat him out and he'd be sent back to America with that evil professor smirking the whole time.

"That's awful. Soak it in warm water and don't sleep on it tonight. That might help a bit." Alice advised, hoping it would help. "Hogwarts is being a little rough on you, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but it's not so bad I suppose. I've got friends, so I can't complain."


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! Don't worry, the evil professor will get what's coming to her!**

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><p>"You're going to go out with her?!" Eleanor almost screamed at dinner that night. The table hushed her, rolling their eyes at her reaction.<p>

"Why wouldn't I? I'll tell her I'm not looking for a relationship afterwards. It's not like I'll be leading her on or anything, I'll keep in platonic." Ben shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "Ellie, you know you'll always be the most important girl in my life." He winked and she just pouted, stuffing her face with the mashed potatoes on her plate.

"Eleanor, come on, it's probably the girl's first real crush, and she confessed. She's probably so stressed out right now." Lorcan said and Bailey agreed. Amanda glanced over from her spot at the Hufflepuff table and she blushed and turned away quickly. "She's a cutie."

Amanda had shoulder length black hair and brown eyes and dimples when she smiled. She was pretty cute and Ben didn't mind going on a date with her. "Yeah, better go tell her. She looks so stressed out."

"You're going to do it now?" Bailey asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah. I'm not turning her down. No reason for her to be embarrassed if I tell her in front of her friends. C'mon, I'm pretty handsome and I'm a little bit older. It'll make her seem so cool in front of her friends." Ben smirked and Eleanor just rolled her eyes. "I'll be right back." He got up and walked over to her table. All her friends began to whisper and it was a bit of a confidence boost to Ben, which he could really use after having such an awful day.

"I can't believe this." Eleanor mumbled watching him.

"Hey." Ben grinned and Amanda turned around, trying to smile but it was obvious she was nervous. "I got your letter. I'm down for hanging out of Valentine's Day. Just tell me the time and place you wanna meet up. Romantic things aren't what I'm good at so you might have to do the planning."

"Really?" She asked, shocked. "You'll go out with me?"

"Well duh. Why wouldn't I?" He questioned, wondering why she was so surprised. "You're cute and sweet, any guy would be lucky to go out with you." Her face went bright red and he didn't realize he could be so smooth. "So just lemme know what you wanna do. Talk to you later." He waved and returned to his table, leaving the group of giggling girls behind him.

"You did good." Lysander praised the male, who nodded his head. "You're smoother than I thought."

"Yeah, I guess I am." He was surprised with himself, but pleased. "I didn't know I was decent at this sort of stuff. She seemed really happy." He sat down and took another sip of his drink. "She was surprised I said yes."

"Maybe it's because you're….you." Bailey suggested, shrugging.

"I'm me. I'm not like some big idol. I'm the dorkiest Slytherin there ever was. How have I not been kicked out yet is beyond me." He didn't really understand it but he was pretty flattered.

"She probably just finds you really attractive." Lysander said, and Ben shrugged. He was glad people found his alternative look attractive. Sometimes he felt guilty that none of them knew what he truly looked like, and that most of them thought that this was his actual self.

* * *

><p>"Potter, I'm telling you, just ask Ellie to go get some butterbeer with you." Ben told James as they sat on the short stone wall in one of the courtyards. Eleanor, Bailey, and Alice were at a table, studying. Ben and James were doing nothing, actually. Just talking.<p>

"What if she thinks I'm asking her on a date?" James asked nervously, glancing to her. He was so sure of himself….except when it came to Eleanor. He didn't want to mess up anymore.

"She won't. You two are friends now. She needs a break and I'll be on a date, so, she'll be alone." Ben continued, hoping James would do it. "Come on, Potter, you scared?"

"Honestly? A little." He admitted, feeling stupid. "Eleanor is a challenge, you know." He grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I'll ask her though. She'll probably say no."

"Probably, but just try to convince her. She really needs a break." He glanced over to the girls and back to James before he noticed Amanda standing nearby with her friends, looking at him. He turned his attention to her and smiled and she blushed, smiling back, her dimples showing. "She is a real cutie."

"How are you going to tell her you aren't interested?" James asked, looking at her before looking to his friend.

"I dunno. Probably just tell her after the date. I won't flirt or lead her on, that's not right. It's just a date, anyway. I've never really been on one but I've watched romantic movies before so I think I can handle it." He said and James just shook his head. "Look, Potter, neither of us are experienced with this but we're still young."

"Yeah yeah." He huffed as Amanda approached them, looking nervous as always.

"Hey, you got the game plan for tomorrow?" Ben asked, smiling at her. James really thought the girl was going to faint, but it was amusing nonetheless.

"Is meeting at the front of the school around noon and going to Hogsmeade from there okay?" She asked, fiddling with her golden sweater that was a little big on her.

"Sounds great. I'll see you then!" He nodded his head and she scurried off back to her friends, who were giggling. "I really enjoy that. Very boosting to my self-esteem."

"Neither of us need that." James muttered, knowing he and Ben both had big heads. "Maybe I could Ellie to tutor me in something instead of going to get butterbeer…"

"That''ll do." Ben told him, impressed by the idea. "She likes tutoring though she acts like she hates it. She likes for people to learn, and if she can teach me she can teach you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means nothing gets through our big heads, Potter."

* * *

><p>Ben got to the meeting spot early, because he would hate for Amanda to be waiting here by herself, wondering if Ben was going to show or not. James, amazingly, got Eleanor to tutor him and they were in the library now. Hopefully James wasn't fucking this up.<p>

He pulled his coat around himself more and fixed his beanie, wishing it would warm up soon. That was unlikely, but he could dream.

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm late." Amanda hurried up to him in her oversized golden sweater and black skirt. Her leggings had little gold stars all over them and she really was cute.

"I got here early, no worries." Ben said with a shrug. "Ready to go?" He asked and she nodded her head. They walked next to each other in silence and Ben was wondering if he should talk or if Amanda could even talk right now. She looked so nervous, like she was going to be sick. He decided not to talk and to let her collect her thoughts as they walked the well-worn snowy path.

He let Amanda lead as they entered the village and she stopped outside of a place called Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Ben looked at it and was feeling a little regret. The place looked….well…

"Is this alright?" Amanda questioned, looking up at him. "My friends and I like to come here often, it's so nice."

"Of course it's alright." Ben replied and held the door open for her and entered behind her, the bell chiming above them. Of course this was _not _okay! This place looked like a pink hell. There were frilly tablecloths and napkins and couples everywhere holding hands and being all cute together. He was willing to give it a go, because Amanda liked it, but, he would never bring a date here. He followed her to an empty table and now he felt like the odd one.

"Have you ever been here before?" She asked and he shook his head, still taking in the room. "I just thought it was a good spot. My friends told me it was the best place to go on a date."

"It's nice. I don't go on dates so it's good I didn't plan this." He told her, hoping that would make her feel better. "Only thing I know about dates are from movies."

"Really?" She asked, eyes getting wide. "I-I just….I thought you…" She trailed off as tea was brought to them. She busied herself with fixing her cup, trying to think of what to say. "I just thought you've been on lots of dates before. I thought a lot of girls confessed to you."

"Me?" He asked, surprised at this. He actually laughed a little. "No way. I can't believe you even asked me out." She was such a sweet Hufflepuff and he was such a Slytherin. While he tried not to, he tended to have an imitating presence until he opened his mouth. He always tried to be over friendly at times, because he could be very blunt and rude.

"I was a little scared of you at first but I tend to be scared of most things." She admitted, sighing a bit. "You seemed really sweet though. You're much nicer looking when you have Eleanor or Alice or Albus with you." She sipped her tea, starting to relax more.

"I'm really not too scary." He told her, stirring sugar into his tea. "I have my moments but Eleanor wears the pants in our friendship, pretty sure all my friends wear the pants….except for James. We share pants because we're both equally stupid." He joked and she laughed, showing her dimples. "I'm glad you asked me out. Everyone is stressing out because of those important exams and blah." He made a face, shaking his head.

"Thank you for accepting it. I was worried you would say no because of exams…"

"No, school doesn't get in my way of fun. I'm caught up with all my school work anyway. Getting knocked out at that last game helped me catch up." He glanced up as two pieces of cake were set down on their table. "Sweet." He grinned and pulled his piece closer and dug in.

"You're okay, right? You were gone for a long time."

"No brain damage if that's what you're worried about. I just needed to rest. I didn't like the week long bed rest but I had to do it." He pouted a bit. "Got a lot of stuff done. I doodled and did homework and studied. Plus I got to sleep so much."

"It does sound nice to take a break like that, though I don't think I want to hurt myself to get that break." She mumbled. "You're a really great beater."

"Thanks!" He grinned, eating another bite. "Eleanor has whipped me into shape." He nodded, wondering how James and Eleanor were doing in the library. "I'm ready for our next game, even though it's a little while away."

"I thought for a while you and Eleanor were dating…" She admitted shyly before taking a bite of her cake.

"A lot of people think that. I love Eleanor a lot, but it's like she's my sister, really. It's all platonic love." He told her, finishing his cake. "I'm really not interested in anyone romantically right now. I guess it's because those exams are coming up or because I'm just an exchange student and I'll be going back home in a few months." He said and he saw Amanda grow a little disappointed.

"We can just go back to school if you want." She mumbled, starting to feel a little stupid. Of course he wasn't interested in her like that.

"I am having a lot of fun with you." He reached out and held her hand and her face got red. "Just because I'm not ready for a relationship doesn't mean that this isn't a date."

"Are you sure?" She asked, glancing at their hands before she looked back to him. He was smiling at her and he looked so handsome.

"Of course!" He exclaimed, nodding his head. "If I didn't want to come, I wouldn't have."

* * *

><p>"I hope Ellie likes the treats I got her." Ben mumbled as they left Honey Dukes. After spending another hour in that awful tea place, they left and wandered around, before hitting up Honey Dukes. Ben got some candy for James and Eleanor, since they were stuck studying and because he knew James would whine if he didn't bring him any candy back.<p>

"I think she'll love it." Amanda said, feeling much more relaxed and confident. Ben really took pressure off of her when he told her he wasn't very interested in being in a relationship now.

"You better be right, my dear!" He sighed, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him. "I think this has been a successful date. Tell me now and be honest, how did I do?"

"You were a lovely date." She smiled at him, warm with his arm around her. "You were entertaining and a complete gentleman. Ten out of ten, would go out with again." This made Ben laugh loudly.

"You're too kind." He told her, pulling her closer. "We should do this again when I'm not getting the shit beat out of me in Quidditch or studying my ass off."

"Really?" Amanda asked, glancing up at him.

"Why not?" He shrugged. "It's good to take a break every now and then. That sound good to you?"

"That'd be really great, actually." She was so happy right now. Today had been a perfect day and Benjamin was so much fun to be around.

"Youngblood, what are you doing out here with her?" A male that was bigger than Ben, but was his age asked. He had pushed back brown hair and blue eyes that were narrowed.

"Glenberg, why are you speaking to me?" Ben replied back coldly, shoot daggers at the Gryffindor. Oh how he hated Brad Glenberg. He was arrogant and a complete asshole. Back in America he would pick on Ben. He seemed to have moved on since Ben found his own friends and he couldn't really single him out anymore, but, here he was, trying to start shit.

"Just making sure she's not being held against her will or anything." He smirked, knowing he was pissing Benjamin off. "C'mon, Youngblood, like you're the one to date such a cute sweet Hufflepuff."

"Held against her will? Glenberg, do yourself a favor and fuck off. She asked me out. She obviously has great taste." He smiled at Amanda, who looked scared right now, but she was the nervous type.

"Who would ask you out? You're just a slimy Slytherin who can't fit in, even when you're in a house filled with people that are supposedly just like you. Sweetie, why don't you just come with me?" He directed the last bit to Amanda and Ben's hair turned red.

"She's mine, back off." Ben growled, his temper shot. Glenberg knew how to get him furious and he wasn't scared to punch the male. His eyes went red and he was ready to attack him.

"Awah, Benny getting angry?" He taunted, laughing. "With your little red eyes and sharp canine teeth. You sure are a catch, aren't you?"

"Shut up." Ben knew he shouldn't let the male get to him like this, but he did. "I don't give a shit what you say about me, Gryffindor, but this Hufflepuff is mine, got it? Let's go." He pulled Amanda away glaring at him over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't going to try anything before looking forward again. "I'm sorry about that. He's always been able to make me lose my temper." He loosened his hold on Amanda, feeling embarrassed.

"No, it's fine." She told him, nodding her head. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I should have stood up for you and not let him say those things."

"Don't worry about it." He told her, shaking his head. "I was expecting him to say those things. Anyone would say stuff like that. You're so cute and sweet and Hufflepuff and I'm very…..Slytherin." He rolled his eyes as they changed to silver and his hair went green. "I just don't like it when people say things about my friends. If he ever messes with you, you tell me, got it?" He questioned, looking down at her. "I'm not going to let that asshole try to fuck with you."

"Thank you, Ben." Amanda smiled, leaning into him as they continued to walk. "If it makes you feel better, I've always liked Slytherins. You guys aren't really mean to me or my friends at all. I just think people judge books based on their cover when they should really open up the book and read it."

"You're so sweet." He said, looking forward with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

**Don't worry the bad professor will be taken care of! **

**Sorry if this chapter seems a little boring, but I don't want to rush too much.**

* * *

><p>"How was tutoring?" Ben asked, biting into his biscuit at dinner that evening. Eleanor glanced at him as she sipped her drink.<p>

"Decent, actually. Potter isn't all stupid as I previously thought." She said dryly and the twins chuckled. "He got on my nerves quite a bit, but, we managed to learn things and get stuff done. How was your date?"

"Wonderful." Ben said with a grin. "She was totally cool with it just being a friend thing and we had tons of fun. I got you some treats." He pulled them out of his pocket and dropped the bag next to her plate.

"None for us?" The twins asked together with a pout when Ben shook his head.

"Sorry, spent all the money I had on me on Ellie." He chuckled and they stuck their tongues out, not really mad at him. He reached in his pocket and handed Alice a small bag of sweets under the table. She smiled and he winked at her. "She's is my number one bae."

"Stop saying bae." Bailey told him, shaking her head. "That's such an annoying pet name."

"But Bailey, you don't wanna be my number three bae?" He questioned and she punched his shoulder. "Fine fine. This is why I didn't bring you any treats." He told her and stuck out his tongue.

* * *

><p>"But she didn't even bat an eye." Fred complained about his latest prank to James and Benjamin. "I forgot to put the powder in it, so it didn't explode." It had been a failure and he was upset by it.<p>

"Least you know what went wrong. Just pick someone new to prank." James suggested, launching into how his cousin could do the prank way better for the next time. Ben liked listening to them talk about pranks. It was entertaining and it gave him ideas. "We're planning on bubble juice in Professor Selwyn's office."

"Eh." Ben spoke up about this one. The scar on his hand hadn't faded or disappeared and now he was forced to constantly hide it. It was really difficult at first and he almost forgotten about it a few times. It was easier now, but, still. He couldn't let James have the same fate. "James, she's awful to deal with…"

"It'll be fun. We won't get caught, Benny." He smirked and Ben sighed. James could sometimes be…..stupid. "We've really got to plan this perfectly."

"Let's really think about this." Ben mumbled, hoping his friend would let this go. "She's…she's awful in detention. My hand is still cramping."

"Save it for an end of the year prank." Fred suggested. "Then you be on the train before she realizes what happened."

"I'll see what I can do." James smirked and Ben just sighed.

"Ben!" Eleanor shouted from behind them, catching the trio's attention.

"Whipppeeddd." Fred joked as Ben trotted over to her eagerly, like a dog would. "You aren't jealous that she likes him more?" He directed this to James.

"No, not really. It's platonic." James wasn't worried at all. He knew Ben was good for his word and it was clear to see their relationship was more like one of a brother and sister. "For a Slytherin, he isn't so bad."

"We've got family in Slytherin now, so you shouldn't be so surprised." Fred replied, referring to Rose and Albus.

"Yeah, but we know them." He replied. "Ben was new. I like him. I think grandma loves him."

"Oh yeah, she does. Whole family loves him. They'll be wanting him to marry in, I bet." He laughed at this, wondering who he would end with it that was to happen. "You know, he's always talking about how cute Albus is."

"That's not going to happen!" James exclaimed, hitting his cousin. "He's not interested in anyone. I thought he liked Alice, but he said nothing was going on between them and he didn't have any feelings for her."

"Ellie!" They heard him exclaimed as Eleanor smacked him over the head. He whined loudly and she rolled her eyes and stormed off. He hurried off after her, making students around them laugh.

"I've never seen a Slytherin so whipped before." Fred said again and shook his head.

"He's not whipped." Alice approached them, shaking her head. "He just really adores Eleanor. She'd do the same for him. They just have that kind of relationship. I'm jealous, actually. I wish I had a guy friend like that. I guess Eleanor won't mind sharing Ben."

"I'll be that friend!" James exclaimed and Alice looked at him.

"So you'll carry my books and buy me sweets and call me 'my dear' and be charming and sweet with no alternative motives?" She questioned. Fred and James looked at her like she was crazy. "That's what Ben does."

"Ben is fucking mental." Fred muttered. "Who does all that? Is he even real?"

"I picked a good best mate, yeah?" James grinned, elbowing Fred. "Told you. Ben is good."

"You didn't even like him at first." Alice muttered, shooting James a look. "And from what I've heard, he was forced into this friendship and you nearly got him killed." She was angrier at this part. She loved Ben to pieces and, while she did love James just as much, she was ready to send him flying if he ever got Ben hurt.

"Things were rough at first and that was an accident, but we're mates now." James explained, trying to get Alice to get off his back about the slight mishap in the Forbidden Forest. "He got me sweets from when he went to Hogsmeade on his date. Means we're mates."

"He got me some too, though he passed them under the table so the twins and Bailey wouldn't get jealous. I bet he loves me more." Alice smirked, sticking her tongue out at James.

"No way, he likes me more!" James replied and the two looked at each other before rushing off after Ben and Eleanor to find out who was right.

* * *

><p>"Isn't it good enough that I like both of you?" Ben grumbled, glancing at James and Alice, who turned to glare at each other. "Is it really a competition?"<p>

"Why are you two even arguing about this? We all know I'm far more important to him." Eleanor beamed. It was a little mean to say, but she had never been someone's number one priority before. Ben put his arm around Eleanor and pulled her against him, shrugging.

"She's right you two. Look, both of you are tied for how important you are to me." Ben shrugged, trying to keep the peace. "Alice is my second girl bae and James you're my second guy bae."

"Who the hell is your first guy bae?" James furrowed his brows as he asked this, then glared at him, cheeks getting red. "Stay away from Albus!"

"How'd you guess?" He chuckled, pulling away from Eleanor with a smirk on his face. "James, seriously, relax. You're so easy to tease. Are all Gryffindors this naïve?" He questioned the two Ravenclaws and James punched his arm, annoyed with his best mate.

"February is almost over, Ben. By now I should at least rank as number one male." James huffed and Ben reached out, pulling him into a bone crushing hug.

"I'm showing affection for you." Ben said and James struggled in his grasp. Ben let him go and James adjusted his bright red sweater, rolling his eyes at his friend. "James, if you can't handle a hug what is going to happen when I need to cuddle?"

"Leave that for Alice and Ellie to take care of." James grumbled. He didn't want to have Eleanor cuddling with Ben, but the Slytherin male was too hot temperature wise for James to stand. James got hot easily, especially when he slept, and he had a feeling if he ever got stuck in the same bed with Ben, they'd be on fire.

Ben pouted, whining at this. He cracked his back though, brushing it off when he saw that James was not going to give in. Fridays were his favorite. He had no classes and many of his friends only had one class, which meant he got to spend the day in his normal clothes bothering his friends.

"C'mon, Benny, we need to study." Eleanor took hold of his elbow to guide him towards the library. "I'll see you two later." They walked off and Ben glanced behind him, making sure they were a good distance away from Potter.

"You getting along with James?" He didn't mean for it to come out like a question, but it sort of did.

"I suppose. This year was different." She answered shortly, glancing at Ben. "You started to get along with him."

"We made an alliance of sorts. I didn't expect to become best friends with him." Ben replied. "It just sort of happened."

"If you get along with him, he can't be so bad. I guess that's why I have been putting up with his arrogant air and that annoying smirk." She balled her fist and Ben wanted to chuckle, but he held it in. Eleanor wouldn't like it if he laughed and she wouldn't understand. Maybe in sixth year she would get that her feelings for James were changing, but right now, she wouldn't get it. "We need to study all this weekend again. We only have a few months to the exams."

"But.." He sighed, feeling annoyed by the mention of the exams. She was right though. February was just about over in three days. The shortest month of the year went by the quickest unsurprisingly. He avoided any more detention and his hand was thankful for that.

He knew they were going to find out, maybe. When he got home, what was he going to tell his family when he forgot to transfigure the skin on his hand to look normal? What if he returned next year and she was still here teaching? The pressure was riding him and he didn't know what to do.

"I hate to say this, but I will be a little thankful when Quidditch season is over. I love it, but practice is getting in the way of studying. It upsets me a little that Ravenclaw V.S. Slytherin is the last game of the season." She grumbled, not liking being put against Ben. She knew what would happen. He would focus more on protecting her than his own team.

"Never thought I would hear you say those words." Ben said with wide eyes at his friend's confession.

"I love it and it helps me relax, but, this year is seriously important. I don't know what you do in America to prepare but we start studying in our fourth year for this." She explained as Ben opened the door to the library. Books were flying off the shelf, floating to the students who used their wands so they wouldn't have to get up to retrieve the book.

"I never take my education seriously. I probably should but I was only interested in the things I liked." Ben admitted with a shrug as Eleanor found a table and set her things down. Ben followed suit and she pulled out her quills and ink, then her notebooks. "Transfiguration was what I enjoyed and I should have been placed in advanced classes for it. I know that sounds a bit vain but I was bored by what the professor taught. My grandma taught me a lot, even after I went off to school. I'd stay with her a bit over the summer and she was fine with me doing magic in the home so she taught me spells and stuff. She helped my brother too."

"That's really neat. I don't think it's vain. We all know that's your best class." Eleanor didn't mind admitting that. He was far better in it than the rest of them and tutored them during breakfast and dinner. It came natural to him and you could tell he loved in.

"That and magical creatures. All I'm good at, though I need to get good at charms I guess…." He grumbled, flipping open his charms text book with a bored sigh. "I dunno what I'm going to do in the future but I hope it has something to do with dragons."

"You could always talk to Charlie Weasley. You remember him, yeah?" She questioned and he nodded his head enthusiastically "He could probably suggest a program or at least a starting point for you."

"I might. He was really cool…" Ben sighed, thinking about the male. "He knew so much! He gets to work with dragons and touch them! That's dream job right there. To get to spend everyday being around the things you loveeeeeee."

"You're like a child." Eleanor said, ruffling his hair and rubbing the shaved undercut part of his head. He sighed happily and leaned in. "And like a dog."

"You never show me affection. I love affection." He hummed and laid his head on the table, wanting to go to sleep. "Usually you're affection is an over the head slap or something."

"Oh hush and start learning." Eleanor pulled out her book and started to read it, leaving Ben to nap. She glanced at him after a little while and reached her hand out, running her fingers through his now blue hair.


	15. Chapter 15

"March weatherrrrrrr!" Ben sighed, happy the snow was starting to melt and things were turning green. It wasn't like the weather was perfect, but, it was much better than snow…and snow.

"Benjamin, you live in Boston." Bailey sighed as he walked her to her next class. "You should be used to the cold."

"Yes, I am, but, it doesn't mean I like it." He muttered, eyes going gray.

"Just don't let the weather distract you. We must do well on these O.W.L.S. I've been writing letters to Headmaster Barnes back home, and I asked him about the possibility of us coming back next year."

"Ah…" Ben knew this conversation was going to happen. Bailey was hell bent on coming back here and bringing Ben back with her. It's not like he didn't want to come back, he would kill to come back here, but, he didn't know if he could handle Professor Selwyn again. He had been doing his best to avoid her and not look at her, even in class, but he couldn't do it for another year. He was too headstrong and defiant for her liking and he couldn't bow down to her forever.

"He said if we did well on these exams, he'd allow it. You know, I think he'll allow it either way. I think he knows how happy we are here." Bailey smiled, nudging Ben. "This place is more like home than our actual home, isn't it?"

"Far better than our other school. I actually have friends here." He mumbled and Bailey looked at him.

"Ben, what's wrong?" She asked, pushing her blonde bangs out of her face. She knew something was up. "Everytime I talk about coming back next year…you…..you aren't excited?"

"Sorry, I was thinking about exams." He lied and she believed him. He was an amazing liar at times. "I'm really excited, just gotta past those exams!"

* * *

><p>Ben sat in the stands again at the Quidditch match. It was Gryffindor against Hufflepuff and he had his eyes on James, watching him fly around.<p>

"Potter is pretty fast."

"I thought he was going to be a seeker like dad and grandpa were." Albus told Ben, watching his brother. He was playing hard today, but that was usual for him. "But no, I think this fits him better. Are you excited for your last game?"

"Oh, sort of." The last game of the season was mid-April, Slytherin V.S. Ravenclaw and Ben was more concerned about Eleanor's safety in that game. "Least in case something happens to Ellie, I'll be there for her."

"You're always worried about her." Rose said and Ben shrugged. "It's very sweet."

"I worry about all my best friends." He winced when James barely dodged Hufflepuff beater trying to slam into him. "He needs to watch himself, cocky bastard."

"Seriously though, Benjamin, are you returning next year?" Rose questioned, pulling the male's attention from the game.

"I'm not sure. It'll be a surprise." He winked at her, but he kept asking himself that same question. He wasn't sure anymore and he didn't want to think about it right now. "Rosie Posie, nose out of my business." He shot her a look behind Albus' back and turned back to the game. "I don't know. It depends on Clara's health." And it really did. "She's been doing better but being away makes me nervous."

"She's sick?" Albus asked, not hearing about this before. Ben hadn't really told anyone, actually, about Clara's health.

"Not anymore, but….." He trailed off, trying not to think of his little sister. That was part of it, but his parents had reassured him multiple times it was fine, and with Mitchell there, he felt better. He just didn't know what to do. He had stated that about Clara in hopes that it would get them off his back, but he was starting to feel homesick and he was thinking the guilt of lying to his friends about how horrible detention had been to him was starting to shake him. "Don't really wanna talk about it." He turned away from them, not meaning to be cold, but he just wasn't feeling the greatest. "It was rough. I might come back. I would love to." He was feeling so exhausted suddenly.

He glanced over to the Ravenclaw stands beside them and Alice was looking at him with a worried eyes.

"Ben!" She called and pointed to the ground, standing up. There were screams around the arena as the Hufflepuff seeker caught the snitch. He got up and glanced at the younger Slytherins before he trotted down the stairs. They looked over and Alice was gone as well. Eleanor was standing and rushing down the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Alice's arms reached out for Ben when he got to the bottom of the stairs and pulled him into a hug. She knew something was wrong, she didn't know what though. She pulled away and held his face with her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Whats wrong?"

"N-Nothing." He shook his head, eyes flickering blue for a split second before turning brown. He felt guilty. So guilty. Every time his friends looked at him he felt like he was lying to them, and he was. He was lying about how he truly looked and he was lying about the abuse the professor was putting him through.

The face wasn't bothering him, but the hand thing…that really was. Any second they could get detention from her and have to go through that pain and the scar and he didn't want that to happen but he didn't know how to tell them. "Alice." He mumbled, putting a hand over her hand and sighed, leaning into the warmth.

"Ben, what's wrong?" Eleanor was by Alice in a second, looking over Ben for any injuries. "What happened?"

"I just don't feel good." He shook his head, feeling tired. He leaned more into Alice's touches and closed his eyes, sighing deeply.

"You need to head to bed. You must be stressed over exams." Eleanor advised as the other students began to come down from the stands.

"Potter just lost, we need to go see him." Ben mumbled, opening his eyes but Alice shook her head.

"We'll handle Potter. Albus!" She called, catching the green eyed boy's attention. "Could you take Ben back to the Slytherin dorms? He's not feeling well. We're going to go cheer up James, so you go rest and join us at dinner, okay?"

He whined as her hands left his cold face and Albus gently put his hand on the back of Ben's right elbow, glancing at Rose and Scorpius as he pushed and Ben walked. They joined their friend and the older Slytherin.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, holding Ben's hand in a concerned manner.

"I guess he's not feeling well." Albus wasn't too sure himself. "Alice just asked me to take him back to the dorms and she told him to nap. Think he's stressed about exams…?"

It was exams and staying at Hogwarts and the scar on his hand and the concerned looks on his friends' faces. He hadn't been sleeping well at all, Fury, his one eyed cat, had been keeping him up, and that made it worse.

* * *

><p>Ben startled awake, confused for a second until he sighed and nuzzled back into his pillow. Albus helped him to his room and left him after making sure Ben was okay. He felt much better after his…what was it? Five hour nap. He really needed it and he was going to have to thank Alice for making him take one.<p>

His glanced down at his right hand, seeing the scar there and groaned. What was he going to do?

He would wait until the end of the year and then tell someone. He had to finish his exams and then tell.

He grumbled and sat up, grabbing his bag while leaving the room. He trotted into the common room and, not seeing anyone he really cared to speak to, continued on, off to search for his friends. After a while, he gave up, figuring James would find him if he needed him. The Potter boy always seemed to know where he was.

He ended up in the library, picking out a table and pulling out his sketch book, unwinding by doodling. Ben had no clue how long it had been, but he drew and colored a beautiful dragon with rainbow scales high in the sky. He glanced towards the window, and seeing that it was dark out, he began to pack everything up when James appeared.

"There you are!"

"Potter, you always say that. Like you didn't think I was actually going to be here…" Ben stated and kept packing up his things. "Sorry about the game today."

"No worries, it happens. Kind of pissed my last game of the season was a horrible one, but I did my best." James didn't let loses get to him, and Ben really admired that. "I just have a sense where you are." He chuckled and nodded, making Ben get up and pull his bag over his shoulder. "Let's go eat."

They walked in silence, which was odd for them.

"Are you feeling okay?" James asked, patting his friend's shoulder worriedly. "Alice and Ellie told me Albus took you back to your dorm because you weren't feeling well."

"I just haven't been sleeping well. Fury keeps me awake." He complained. He loved his cat but he was a pain in the ass. "Nothing to worry about, seriously."

* * *

><p>James joined them for dinner and he kept glancing at Ben, like he knew something was wrong.<p>

"Potter, I know I'm attractive, but, you're going to have to stop with all the glances. If you wanna go we can find an empty stairwell somewhere in this castle." He winked at his best friend, whose face turned red and he made a disgusted expression.

"Mate!" James shook his head as Ben started laughing loudly. "That wasn't funny."

"I kinda thought it was." Alice admitted with a chuckle, her cheeks a light pink. "Now I'll be wondering where you two are when I can't find you." She smirked as James gave her a look of horror. "What a lovely image I have in my head." She wanted to laugh louder when James and Ben both looked at her. Ben looked amused, James looked like his life was over. "I'm just saying. Everytime I walk by a dark stairwell leading up to an empty tower I'm going to wonder if you two are there…"

"Nah, sorry James, but I can't do that sort of thing with you." Ben told his friend, patting his back. "Now, with Albus…."

"Stop saying stuff like that!" James regretted sitting with them, face fully red now. "You guys are terrible."

"We're pretty funny." Alice and Ben said together, smirking at him while the others laughed.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Eleanor told Ben as Alice continued to tease James. She patted his hand, she was still worried about him.

"I guess I'm just feeling a little homesick." He told her, trying to be honest. She held his right hand and squeezed it and he felt a jolt of pain. It wasn't supposed to hurt anymore but his hand was suddenly stinging. He glared at Professor Selwyn and she was just smiling at him. She had to be using some spell, because his hand didn't hurt earlier when he was drawing. He wanted to pull his hand away, but he couldn't or Eleanor would question it. Ben never pulled away from her touches and he couldn't start now.

"It's okay! O.W.L.S. are only two months away, sort of, and then it'll be home free for you." Eleanor didn't want Ben to go home. She'd be alone again, but, she knew he missed his family. He was close to them, unlike her. "Easter is coming up next week, so we'll have that week off from classes. We won't go back home so we'll get to relax."

"Ellie, we have to go home. You can't avoid family problems." He told her, catching the attention of their friends.

"And let them treat you and I horribly? Nope. We're staying here." Eleanor said with a head nod.

"A lot of us are staying." James piped in, glancing at the others at the table before looking to Ben and Eleanor. "We've got to study…well I do." He muttered as the Ravenclaws smiled. All of them had organized days and times for studying, unlike the Gryffindor and Slytherin that were mostly just poking along. He was worried but not super worried. He knew he would do well.

"Fine, but, you gotta talk to them eventually." Ben felt another jolt of pain as Eleanor squeezed his hand again.

Thank god March was almost over.


	16. Chapter 16

**I just want to say a big thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites I get for this story. Writing Harry Potter fanfiction can be pretty nerve-racking because I want to get everything down perfectly and I know there's a lot of things up in the air for the next generation, but I'm extremely happy people enjoy this story and enjoy Ben so much. I didn't know how people would take him, but I'm not so worried now. Thank you! I've got a lot of great things planned for this story! (theres going to be so much James/Ben bromance it's beautiful)**

* * *

><p>Ben nuzzled against Alice's lap, yawning.<p>

They were in the library, hogging the soft couches that were there. Ben had given up studying and was napping on Alice's lap, because Eleanor refused to let him sleep on her lap. Alice ran her fingers through Ben's hair and he sighed, feeling so much better. Alice had these soft touches that made him feel relaxed.

"Hugh is going to be pissed if he sees this." James said as he sat across from them. He had Eleanor's feet on his lap, her socks a bright orange and her face buried in her book. "You know he hates Ben."

"That's why I dumped him yesterday." Alice said, her book balanced on the arm of the couch, hand holding it down while the other played with Ben's hair. "I didn't need him as a distraction and I just wasn't into him anymore. He's just gotten too aggressive and he's too….urg." She rolled her eyes as she thought about her ex. "Plus, he hated Ben and he just made things awkward."

"I wouldn't like Ben if he was in my girlfriend's lap." James told her and she rolled her eyes again as Ben sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist. Bailey was on the other end of the couch, Ben's feet in her lap. He had cat socks on.

"He crossed a line. Ben needs me more than Hugh needs a girl on his arm." Alice told him and Eleanor hummed in agreement. "Something's been…..wrong with Ben. Do you think we're pushing him too hard?"

"If I haven't broken yet, then no, you're fine." James said and tickled Eleanor's feet boredly. She giggled and smacked him with her book playfully. Alice smirked at them and she wished Ben was awake to see that. His hair was turning brown and looked like it was getting lighter before it stopped at a light brown. "He told Albus he was worried about Clara being sick. Apparently she had been before?" He wasn't too sure.

"He's mentioned it a little before to me, but his brother is making sure she stays healthy." Eleanor told them, looking up from her book. "I think he's homesick. He doesn't like being far away from them."

"Ben wasn't the one to have many friends. He spent his summer watching his siblings. He really misses them. I bet he's counting down the days until he sees them." Bailey told them and patted his leg. "But….I think something else is wrong with him."

"When I held his hand the other night, he looked like he was in pain." Eleanor put her book down and looked at them. "Check his sketch book." Eleanor said and kicked James lightly. He jumped up and went over to his friend's bag by the couch he was asleep on and dug through it for the black sketch book. He pulled it out and handed it to Eleanor. She flipped through it, seeing new drawings. "He's still drawing." She mumbled, seeing multiple ones of dragons. "His hand can't be cramping up again….it was only when I touched it."

Alice lifted up his right hand and looked at it, examining it closely. "Nothing is wrong with it." She couldn't see anything but when she pressed on it he sprung to life and toppled off her lap, landing on James and crying in pain.

"Ben!" James exclaimed when he friend landed on top of him, clutching his hand in pain. He was whining and Eleanor was over to them instantly, hand on Ben's back as she tried to figure out what was wrong.

"F-Fuck!" Ben hissed and whimpered when he felt Eleanor hands on him. "It hurts."

"What hurts? What's wrong?" James sat up and Ben scooted onto the floor. "Mate, tell me." James encouraged and Alice and Bailey were on his other side swiftly, concern on their faces.

"Just…when you put pressure on it, it hurts." He had to lie. He couldn't tell them now. They were too stressed on exams. "It's a weird thing. My brother is going to help me with it when I get home."

"It only hurts when you apply pressure?" Alice asked, feeling awful. "Benny I'm sorry, I shouldn't have messed with your hand. C'mon, you can come nap on my lap again, I won't mess with it." She encouraged him, pulling him up and back onto the couch. They settled into their position again and Eleanor patted his back before she and James got back on the couch. Bailey lifted his feet and got back in her spot, watching as Ben fumbled with Alice's sweater.

"How long has it hurt?" Eleanor asked, knowing Ben wasn't asleep yet.

"Just a month or two. Only when you really press it." He mumbled, closing his eyes, wanting to go back to sleep. The pain had finally stopped and he was so tired mentally and Alice was so soothing. "Hair." He mumbled and she understood, running her fingers through his hair again. He sighed and snuggled close to her, falling asleep.

"He's a baby." Alice cooed, feeling awful. "I caused him pain when he was just trying to nap."

"He bounces back." James said and patted Eleanor's ankle, trying to make Eleanor feel better because he knew she was freaking out.

"And I was death gripping his hand yesterday and he put up with it." Eleanor was a bad friend. Alice looked at her and shook her head.

"Eleanor, it is not your fault. Now we know about his hand and we can avoid it." Bailey said before Alice could say anything. "Ben is just that type of guy. People worrying over him freaks him out. He'll be okay, so none of you feel bad at all."

* * *

><p>It was now Mid-April and Ben was watching Eleanor pace. Easter Break had really been a nice break and Molly Weasley had sent all the Potter and Weasley kids yummy eggs with toffee inside and Ben got to munch on a few of them.<p>

"Ellie, princess, c'mere." He pulled her down to sit on his lap and cuddled her. She whined and tried to get out of his grasp, but he kept his hold on her, making Alice laugh.

"Eleanor, relax. You're getting stressed." Alice had noticed over the past three weeks that Eleanor was growing more and more stressed. The weight of exams were piling up and she had been studying her ass off lately.

"B-But." Eleanor was going to protest, but she relaxed against Ben, finally, sighing deeply. She felt Ben put his chin on top of her head and she rested against his chest, closing her eyes. Ben was so warm and snuggly, just what she needed right now. "I'm so happy to play tomorrow. Get out all this pent up stress and then I can kick it into hyper mode!"

"Will hyper mode include more forced snuggles with me?" Ben questioned, not liking the sound of it. The freak outs were already starting. Bailey had needed a paper bag just a few days prior and Alice looked like she wasn't sleeping enough.

"Forced snuggles sounds bad." Albus mumbled, approaching the fifth year group.

"There's baby Potter!" Alice cooed, laughing at the look on Albus' face. "I'm kidding, Alby. Eleanor was freaking out so Ben is making sure she gets snuggles." She directed his attention to the two. Ben was stretched out on the grass, his back against the short stone wall in the courtyard. Eleanor was on his lap, her head under his chin and she looked to be asleep.

"That doesn't look very forced." Albus sat down next to Alice and Bailey, looking at them.

"She calmed down." Ben said and winked at Albus. "Wanna join?"

"No thanks." Albus rolled his eyes at the male, but smiled at him anyway.

"What the hell are you doing?" James questioned, shooting a glare at Ben as he dropped his bag on the table. Ben looked at him and reached out his hand, pulling James down next to him.

"Join the snuggle." Ben chuckled as James gave him an unamused look on his face but settled in next to Ben, glancing at Ellie. Ben grinned and Eleanor shifted, now in between Ben's legs and her head was on his shoulder.

"This is…" James muttered, shifting as well and leaning his head on Ben's shoulder, trying to get comfortable. "Not that bad." He yawned, closing his eyes. Ben looked at the group at the table and they laughed.

"Ben is very comfortable." Alice told the other two with a shrug. "Has a very soothing presence."

"Probably because I'm like a furnace too. All of you have such cold body temperatures." Ben said and leaned his head on James' head, yawning as he closed his eyes. James was hot, but Ben didn't mind it.

"British blood I suppose." Albus chuckled when Ben's breathing slowed and it was obvious all three of them were asleep. "Look at them."

"Adorable. I'm going to miss Ben…" Alice sighed, putting her book down. "He keeps avoiding the question. Is he going to come back?"

"I don't know." Bailey shook her head with a frown. "He's just…I think he'll know after he gets to see his family again. It's rough on him. His family is his life. I'm an only child, so it doesn't bother me."

They all started studying again, trying not to think about it.

"Wha?" Eleanor asked thirty minutes later, sitting up and looking at the others before looking at Ben and James. "What?" She questioned again, seeing the two leaning on each other, asleep. James groaned and Ben pulled him closer, mumbling something.

"Bromance is strong." Alice said as Eleanor slowly got up and trudged over to the table, trying to wake herself up.

"What are they doing?" She asked, looking at the Gryffindor and Slytherin.

"Well James joined in the snuggle and then they fell asleep. Aren't they cute?" Bailey questioned and they looked at them again.

"I suppose." Eleanor mumbled as Alice pulled at the rip that was forming on the knee of her jeans.

"Stop talking." James groaned, slowly opening his eyes. He felt a weight on his head and when he looked at the girls and his brother, they were laughing and Alice had the biggest smirk on her face. "Damn it." He groaned when Ben started groaning next to his ear.

"Potter, I was trying to sleep." Ben pulled away from him and James sighed, glaring at him. "Oh come on…I'm great to nap with."

"You two were so cute." Alice cooed as both of them got up and shook the grass off of themselves. "At least you kept it pg." She joked and Ben threw his arm around James, looking at him.

"James, I love you, but, your brother is still cuter." He told James, who just looked at him while Al blushed lightly.

"Ben, sorry, but snakes aren't my type." James told him and the two looked at each other before pulling away with a sigh.

"Tragic, we'd be perfect for each other." Ben said and James looked away, trying to hide his smile.

"I know, Youngblood, but we're like modern day Romeo and Juliet. You're Juliet, of course. Eleanor, wanna be my Mercutio?" He joked and the others laughed, making him smile.

"Ms. Longbottom!" A shrill voice called and Professor Selwyn was approaching them rapidly, her heels clacking on the stone. "Those pants are ripped and torn!"

"Oh..uh…well…" Alice didn't know what to tell her and Ben felt on edge. He knew she was about to scream detention and Ben couldn't let that happen.

"It was my fault." He interjected, catching her attention. "We were rough housing and I pushed her and she fell and ripped them. She was going to go change but I talked her out of it." The others gave him a confused look as he lied.

"You shouldn't be rough housing with ladies, Mr. Youngblood." She said sternly, believing his lie. "I'll let it slide, just this once, but one more problem with you and you will have detention!"

"Yes, professor." He muttered as she stormed off.

"What was that?" Alice asked and he wasn't too sure what to say.

"Her detention really blows." Ben told her, rolling her eyes. "Plus, she hates me already. No reason for her to start hating you too."

"Mr. Youngblood!" She exclaimed and he winced. "Detention! Pink hair will not be tolerated!"

Okay now she was just being fucking stupid. Did she not notice his pink hair when she approached them?

"See what I mean?" He grumbled, sighing as he grabbed his bag and stormed off to detention.


	17. Chapter 17

**I have this story basically planned to their (Ben, James, Eleanor) seventh year. I also sort of plan to do Albus' seventh year, but most likely it will be condensed into one chapter and sort of focus on he and Ben's relationship, sorta. I don't know if I will bother to do an epilogue where the characters get married and start a family.**

**I have stuff like that planned, but I don't know if I'll bother to type that up, but for sure, this is going through the end of their seventh year.**

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><p>Eleanor waited for Ben to finally show up the next day. He skipped dinner, stating that he was tired and wasn't hungry. He came to breakfast, but was quiet, and now she was waiting for him so they could walk to the game together.<p>

"Sorry." Ben said, hurrying up to her, a little out of breath. "Fury was being a pain. Ready to play?" He asked and they began the journey to the field. She glanced at his right hand, seeing a bandage around it. He looked tired and she wanted to know what was up.

"You okay?" She asked and nodded to his hand. He just sighed, making a face.

"Yeah, Fury swiped my hand and I was kind of in a rush so I just bandaged it." He told her when he glanced at it. He couldn't stand to tell her the truth. Not now. He had to wait until after the exams before they left for home. He couldn't put more stress on his friends. "It'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Eleanor asked and he smiled at her, patting her head. "Fine fine. Remember, Lorcan and Lysander are going to protect me from the bludgers. Play your best." They made it to the field and went into separate locker rooms.

Ben changed quickly into his outfit and his captain patted his back roughly. "Ready to win, Youngblood?"

"Damn straight." He grinned and winced. His hand was so fucked up right now. The detention was terrible yesterday, mostly because she heard what he said about her. The game today was going to be worse than the game where he got knocked out. She was the one making it hurt. It was a spell and it was awful and he didn't know what to do but he told her off yesterday and that made it even worse.

"Let's beat them. Now, don't be too rough out there. Headmistress confronted me about how rough we are." He rolled his eyes, like the rest of the team. "Got to listen to her though. Let's go!"

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><p>The game was way too painful for Ben. Luckily, Lorcan and Lysander were who he was really against, and they seemed to know he was in pain and tried to hit the bludgers towards the other beater's direction, making things a little easier on him. Still, he didn't get along the greatest with the other beater on his team, at all, and she kept aiming for Eleanor, which pissed Ben off, and she was doing it on purpose.<p>

He wished more than anything he could knocked her out as he hit the bludger and sent it flying towards the Ravenclaw chaser, but he couldn't. He felt another jolt of pain when he swung his bat, but he was starting to get used to it now. He had been playing for four hours and he was starting to go a little numb to it.

"C'mon Ben!" He heard Rose scream as he flew by her in the stands. She could tell he was off his game. Everyone could. He hit the bludger again and it knocked a chaser clean off her broom. Of course, Lorcan caught her and she grabbed her broom and was back on it in an instant. Ben felt bad, but her expression was hilarious.

"Nice hit, Youngblood." His captain said as he rode by. "Go in for the other chasers." He ordered and Ben did as he was told. He was so happy he wasn't ordered to take down Eleanor, he would never do that.

Speaking of Eleanor, she was so close to the snitch. Every time she also had it, it flew away. It was flying upwards now and he watched as Eleanor reached out for it, the Slytherin Seeker right behind her.

"Looks like Woods is about to finish this game!" The announcer shouted before Eleanor caught the snitch. "ELEANOR WOODS HAS WON THE FINAL GAME OF THE SEASON!"

Everyone started cheering and booing and Ben was so thankful that it was done. He gripped his hand, dropping his bat. It hurt so much and he knew Professor Selwyn was smirking at him, seeing him in pain. Eleanor turned to smile at Ben when she saw him gripping his hand, pain clear on his face. She started to fly over to him until a bludger slammed into her. She definitely wasn't planning for it and flew off into the trees nearby, screaming the whole time. Ben looked up in time to see her flying towards him until she was sent flying off into the trees near the arena.

"Go get her Ben!" James screamed from his spot on the stands. Ben took off, gripping onto his broomstick harder than he needed to. James ran down the stairs of the stand, hoping Eleanor was okay. Alice, Bailey, and Rose and Albus did the same, scared of what happened to Eleanor.

Ben had no clue where Eleanor landed as he searched the trees frantically. His hand was starting to shake, no doubt the professor wasn't pleased he left to go search for Eleanor, but he had to find her. This was his best friend and all of his fault.

"E-Ellie?!" He shouted, adrenaline pumping. He knew he should've paid more attention to her! That damn Slytherin beater was going to get it when he got his hands on her. "Eleanor!" He screamed, not seeing her auburn hair anywhere in the trees. Oh god, she had to be okay. He couldn't live with himself if she was hurt.

"Bennnnn!" He heard her shout, but it sounded weak. He darted around, trying to locate her when he heard her call again. He went up and found her, her broom stick in two and herself lodged between two large branches.

"Oh god, Ellie." He said, reaching out for her, trying to keep his broom steady. "I got you, I got you." She was bloody and bruised and he could tell she had been crying a bit. "Your trusty dragon is here to save you princess. Are you hurt? God, Eleanor, I was so fucking worried."

"I won the game, right?" She said as she reached out for him, allowing him to move her and get her balanced on his broom stick. He didn't know what he'd expect her to say. His hand was screaming in pain now as he wrapped his right arm around Eleanor to keep her on the broomstick as he flew off towards the castle.

"Of course, my princess, you won." He mumbled into her ear and she sighed happily. "I got her!" He called down to the others when they rushed over to the forest to help him look for her. "I'm taking her to the hospital!"

"We'll meet you there!" Alice replied and both groups took off, well, Ben flew off.

"You're going to be fine." He reassured her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm so sorry Ellie. I'm so, so sorry. You'll be okay once those nurses get a hold of you."

"I flew." She said, sounded a bit out of it. "I can't believe that happened. But I won."

"Yes, you won the game. I should've been paying attention to you more. I was so out of it the whole game and god you could've been hurt worse." He told her, kissing the top of her head again. "You had me so worried. I'm so, so, so sorry Eleanor. It was all my fault."

"Now you know how I felt when I had to sit there, seeing you knocked out on the ground for an hour. I didn't know if you were dead or not." She whined and leaned back onto him. "Ben, it wasn't your fault."

"I get what you mean now, and I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have played that game, and I should've been paying more attention to you." If he hadn't been so focused on the pain in his hand, he would've been able to stop that bludger. He was the one that distracted her from the bludger. It was all of his fault. "Eleanor, it was my fault. I'm so sorry." He felt like a broken record but he felt awful. He felt like crying.

"Benjamin, it wasn't your fault. You're on the opposing team, it isn't your job to look after me. None of us saw it coming, the game was over. I should've been on the lookout just in case. I was worried about you!" She wanted to turn around and pat his cheek, but, she was in pain and the broom was a bit unsteady, so she didn't want to risk it. "I'm going to be okay so don't you fret." She said as they landed.

"Okay, get on my back." He ordered when he got her on the ground. He crouched down and she climbed on, making it possible for him to carry her and his broomstick at the same time. He trotted into the building and down a set of stairs, over a small walkway and into the hospital, where the nurses gasped and immediately got her off of his back and onto a bed.

"What happened?" One asked as he sat down on the bed next to her, setting his broomstick down. His hand started to shake more, but he held it with his left hand, trying not to draw attention to it.

"She caught the snitch but a bludger caught her off guard. Sent her flying off into the trees." He explained, pulling his gloves off. It helped a little with the pain, but not much. "She's going to be okay? Right?" He asked, looking at Eleanor. He felt like crying and like beating the shit out of the other beater.

"She'll be fine. Nothing seems broken. She just got the wind knocked out of her and a few cuts and bruises."

"Thank god." He sighed, relieved. "Princess you were freaking me out for a second. I don't know what I would've done if you got hurt any worse." He ran his fingers through his red hair and winced, holding his right hand with his other hand again.

"I'm fine." She told him, her head stopped feeling so dizzy and she was starting to realize what happened. "What about my broom?" She asked, seeing her friend's on the bed.

"Sorry, princess, but it's broken in two. Thank god it was the broom and not you." Ben didn't even want to think about that. "All that matters is that you're okay and I'm going to beat the shit out of that beater who hurt you."

"Is she okay!?" James and Alice asked at the same time as they ran into the hospital, panic on their faces. They hurried over to her bed as the nurses finished up and let them be.

"Few cuts and bruises. She'll be okay." Ben told them as the twins, Bailey, Rose, and Albus hurried in to see her. "The broom is in two, but she is not."

"You can get a new broom anytime, but we can't get a new Eleanor." James told Eleanor and she blushed, looking away.

"Guys I'm fine!" She told them, not liking them so worried about her. It made her feel embarrassed. "All that matters is I won the game!" She was going to be okay, but Ben didn't look good at all. "Ben, are you okay? Is your hand bothering you?"

"No, princess, I'm fine. Worry about yourself." He told her, trying to get all the attention back on her and off of him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course I am! You think a few cuts and bruises faze me?" She questioned, furrowing her brows. Ben was trying to make her forget about his hand. "Ben I saw you clutching at it after I caught the snitch. You need to have them look at it."

"Eleanor, seriously, drop it." He said, sounding more forceful. If he wasn't such a wimp about his hand, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. He was so pissed at himself and in so much pain he didn't know what to do but they all looked at him and he couldn't be here anymore. "I'm going to take my broom back and change into my normal clothes. I'll be back, okay?" He grabbed his broom and trotted out, trying to get away from them as fast as possible.

"Something is wrong you guys." Eleanor told them as they sat on the beds next to her. "I saw how he played and how he was clutching his hand. Something is very wrong."

"I agree." Rose said, looking out the door Ben went through. "I watched him very closely when he played. It's obviously something to do with his right hand. At first it was just when he hit, but when he gripped the broomstick it caused him pain, and after the match, he looked to be in serious pain."

"That's what distracted me. I was so focused on him I didn't even notice the bludger. Now he thinks it's his fault I got hurt, when it was mine." Eleanor gushed, getting worked up. "He's hurting and he's blaming himself for my mistakes."

"What should we do?" James questioned, looking at Eleanor. He was so thankful she was okay, but now he was worried over Ben. Ben wasn't going to just come out and tell them what was wrong. He was going to try and hide it and smile and joke and worry over Eleanor before he let them on to his problems. "We have to just confront him. He's not going to tell us on his own."

"We can't surround him. It'll upset and scare him." Alice piped in, eyebrows furrowed. "If we got those bandages off of his hand, we'd see the problem."

"Nothing was there the other day though?" James questioned.

"He's covering it up." Albus spoke up, it suddenly hitting him. "He can change any part of his body. Even his hands." He told them and everyone looked at him. "And you know, Ben would do it. He would spend energy and effort to cover up something so he doesn't worry us, especially since the O.W.L.S. are coming up soon."

"Oh my god, you're right." Eleanor groaned, feeling so stupid she hadn't realized it before.

* * *

><p>"Captain was so bloody pissed that she did that. It was obvious the game was over but she still hit the bludger at Eleanor. Don't worry, she was punished." Scorpius told Ben as they made their way to the hospital. Both in their normal clothing, talking about the female Slytherin beater that had hurt Eleanor.<p>

"Good. She better hope she doesn't run into me." Ben grumbled, making sure his bandages were on his right hand properly. It had to be the spell she placed on the quill or whatever. The scar wasn't being hidden by his powers. It just wouldn't allow itself to be covered and he didn't think he could go hiding it like this much longer.

The two Slytherins entered the hospital and the group turned to look at them. Ben started to get a bad gut feeling, but he pushed through it. "You feeling any better?"

"Ben, I'm fine." Eleanor crossed her arms and huffed. "How about you?"

"I'm doing fine, like I said before." His temper was leaving him. Why couldn't they just let him be? His eyes faded to red from the purple they were, trying to let them know he wasn't in the mood for this. Of course, his hand picked the absolute best time to start shaking. He grabbed it a little too harshly and ended up hurting himself far more than helping himself.

"That's not being fine." Alice said, walking over to him. He pulled back from her, shooting her a look as she tried to grab his hand.

"Seriously, you guys." He huffed, crossing his arms. There were too many people in here and he was starting to panic. Alice glanced at the others, who seemed to get it.

"Fine, suit yourself." The twins said together and left, along with Scorpius and Rose. Albus refused to leave with them and James of course stayed, Bailey right behind him.

"Come on, Ben." James told him, trying to get him to show them his hand. Ben turned away from James and James jumped him. He pushed him onto the bed next to Eleanor's, getting on top of him to hold him down.

"Woah, Potter, I love you, but this is pushing it a little too far." Ben tried to joke, but James was dead weight on top of him and Alice was unwrapping his bandage too quickly for him to do anything. "Guys, seriously!" He struggled and didn't know what to do when he heard Alice gasp.

"Ben!" She exclaimed, seeing the writing that was craved into his skin. 'I Will Not Stand Out' was almost glowing red on his hand and she put her hand over her mouth as he heard Eleanor's sharp intake of breath.

"Ben what the hell?!" James questioned, eyes widening.

"Who did this to you?" Albus knew Ben wouldn't do this to himself. Eleanor was now out of the bed and holding Ben's hand, looking like she was going to cry, or kill someone. Basically she had the same expression Ben had on just a little while ago. James still sat on top of Ben, not letting him move his hand away.

"She made you write it over and over…" Eleanor said, it dawning on her what happened. "During detention…"

"It's why you covered for my jeans yesterday." Alice couldn't believe Ben would go through that torture for her. He was looking the other way, refusing to look at them. He felt so embarrassed and was thankful they were the only ones to see it. "Why your hand has been hurting."

"She did something worse yesterday." James got off of him, sitting at the end of the bed as Ben sat up and pulled his legs up, hand still shaking. "She made it hurt more, didn't she?" Ben slowly nodded his head, knowing if he tried to speak he'd be a mess. Bailey just shook her head, looking like she was going to cry.

"Made it impossible for you to cover up." Albus couldn't stop looking at it. "James, it looks like dad's."

"It does." James remembered the mark his dad had on it. "She did the same thing as Umbridge! Oh my god, I remember her babbling on about her 'mother'! I bet she was Umbridge's daughter before that whack job got taken away and she was forced to go live with her other family. I bet they told her her 'mother' died to make it easier on her."

"You're right!" Eleanor exclaimed, furious. "I'm telling the headmistress right now! Don't you worry Ben, she's going to get in trouble!"

"W-What if I don't get to come back?" He spoke, panicked. "She said they wouldn't believe me and she was going to get you guys next." Yesterday had just been a day of verbal abuse during detention and he was scared. What if she stayed and hurt Eleanor next year when Ben wasn't here to protect her? Or Albus? Or James? Or Alice and Bailey?

"You're going to get to come back. She's going to get fired." Bailey said confidently. "She's not going to hurt anyone else."

"Ben you shouldn't have hidden this from us." Eleanor hugged him tightly. "You've been suffering all this time just trying to protect us from this mad woman." She wanted to cry now too. "She's going to get fired and your hand will stop hurting, I promise."

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, hugging her back, trying not to hurt her. "I didn't know what to do. She said she was going to get you guys."

"She won't. She'll be facing my wrath!" Eleanor exclaimed as they caught the nurse's attention, who gasped when she saw his hand and hurried off to get McGonagall. "We're going to get it fixed. I don't know if they can make it go away but they can make it not hurt anymore."

"I don't care if it stays, but it hurts so badly." He whined, putting his head on her shoulder. "It burns into my skin and I can't take it anymore."

"It's going to be okay." Alice rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. "We're not going to let her near you."


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks so much for reviews, favs, and follows! I'm really excited about writing their sixth year because it focuses more on their friendships/relationships and it has quite a bit of character development, which is a super important aspect for me. **

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><p>McGonagall was furious.<p>

Eleanor was going to kill that horrible woman who hurt Ben.

Ben was slightly terrified.

"Eleanor, you need to lay down and rest." Ben mumbled, sitting by her bed. He was holding his hand, not wanting anyone to see it anymore. Eleanor was sitting up, ranting about 'that mad woman who will pay for this!' and wasn't wanting to lay down. She just looked at him, not knowing if she wanted to argue with him when he kept her safe from getting the same torture as him all year and he saved her ass from that tree.

"Ben, you need to rest too." She balled the fist up as Ben's hand shook again. He held it, looking down at it. "I can rest when that woman cancels that spell!"

"McGonagall told me it will wear off soon, okay?" Ben tried to ignore the burning and he already felt embarrassed. After McGonagall came in and saw what Selwyn had done, she was furious. She immediately sent for Professor Selwyn to pack her bags and called for the Ministry of Magic to come, because she was not letting her get away with this.

James was sitting on the other side of Eleanor, worried over both of them. Eleanor looked beat up and Ben kept grabbing his hand and trying to hide his pain. It was stressful for him because he couldn't do anything to ease their pain. He held back a whine, feeling like a kicked dog.

Alice was next to Ben, her hand on Ben's back as she rubbed it, trying to soothe him. She felt like she was in the same boat as James, not being able to do anything. She watched as Eleanor settled down on the bed and started to drift off. Ben finally seemed to settle down as well, sitting back and leaning towards Alice as she continued. "Take a nap Ben." She murmured softly.

"Hurts too much." He told her, keeping his left hand over his right. He felt like falling asleep but a jolt of pain would keep that from happening every time he came close. Albus watched him, biting his lips as he looked to his brother, who was holding Eleanor's hand. He wasn't sure if he should leave or stay, since there wasn't much for him to do.

"Want to go get something to eat?" Bailey whispered to him. He nodded his head and the two got up quietly, leaving the room. "I felt a little awkward in there. I think they just need to rest, but, good luck getting Alice or your brother out of there."

"James is going to be glued to Eleanor and Ben, especially Ellie." Albus told her as they walked towards the Great Hall. "Alice won't leave Eleanor and she's one of the only ones that Ben is fully comfortable with."

"They'll be okay." Bailey said, though Albus thought she was trying to reassure herself of this.

"Of course they will be. They're the hardest headed people we know."

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><p>"Good day, class." The new Dark Arts teacher greeted them as she entered the classroom in early May. She was an Indian woman with short black hair and friendly brown eyes.<p>

"Can't believe they got a new teacher so quickly." Ben whispered to James. In two weeks, Hogwarts had found itself a new professor, since Selwyn was fired and now facing the Ministry of Magic for her abusive ways.

"Ellie said she's sweet." James replied, happy both of his friends were doing better. After sleeping all weekend, Eleanor refused to stay in bed anymore and was back to class Monday. Ben was fine after the spell wore off and he was feeling better than he had in months.

It helped that the evil professor was no longer loaming over him. Instead, he had a wonderful professor that actually taught them, not just read to them.

"All we have to do now is pass our O.W.L.S." James said as they left the class later on, grinning at Ben. "How hard could it be?"

"I think we'll do fine. We just have to…you know…open up a book." He mumbled and they stopped in the hallway, looking at each other. "We're in trouble."

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>"Ben, now is not the time for a forced snuggle." Alice was a little stressed. She was trying to keep it calm and collected, but even she was breaking under the pressure. She was pulled to the ground by Ben and he tugged her until she was leaning against his chest.<p>

"No." He told her, putting his arms around her and placing his chin on top of her head. "You need a break, Alice. You've been going at it nonstop for three hours."

"I'm fine!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking. It wasn't her fault. There were so many things to study for and she thought she had everything organized, but it all fell apart.

"Take a break." Ben told her, refusing to let her go. He was going to have to be the sane one of the group and make sure they didn't all go into panic mode. He was a little stressed about the exams too, but he was confident in himself. All he really cared about were charms, care of magical creatures, and transfiguration, but he was fine with the others too. "Just take some deep breaths and seriously relax. You taking an hour to calm down won't affect how you do on the exams."

"I need to study." She repeated and he groaned.

"Alice, what good will studying do you if you're too stressed to even remember what you're studying?" He questioned and she went quiet, realizing the Slytherin was right. "Exactly, now, break time." He repeated and leaned back against the short stone wall.

The courtyard, in his opinion, was the best place to study, other than in the back of the library with the soft couches. He preferred this place, because it was outside with fresh air, there was a constant coming and going of people to be good background noise, and he liked to nap on the grass.

"She taking a break?" Eleanor asked as she approached them, setting her bag and books on their table. Alice already looked to be asleep, which was a good thing.

"A forced break. She was stressing herself out." Ben replied, looking at Eleanor. "What about you?"

"I'm good. I've been trying to take breaks to avoid a meltdown." Eleanor replied, pulling out one of her books. "Surprisingly, James is a decent study partner. He always makes sure we take breaks."

"He isn't so bad." Ben smirked while Eleanor rolled her eyes.

"No, I guess not. Potter got better this year." She muttered, focusing on her book and not at her smirking friend. "Stop smirking at me."

"I'm just happy you're starting to like Potter. He's a good friend." Ben said. "He's an idiot with a heart of gold."

"Just what our little group needs." She said and he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Yeah because the rest of us are heartless fucks, right?" He joked and she looked at him. "I have a heart of gold. Sort of. More like heart of silver. Guess you got the heart of bronze, eh Ellie?" He joked and he thought she was going to throw her quill at him. "We're not as sweet or hopeful as he is. We don't see the good in everybody."

"Yeah yeah, the Gryffindor has the heart of gold, how ironic." She grumbled, dipping her quill in ink. "Have you put any thought into whether or not you'll return next year?"

"Sort of." He picked at a blade of grass mindlessly. "Would your folks even allow me back?"

"They better." Eleanor said with a firm head nod. "They love you, Ben, why wouldn't they allow you back? That thing with Caleb is in the past."

"I might. If I do well on my O.W.L.S. and my parents are okay with it." He wasn't too sure himself. He wanted to come back, he needed to, but it all depended on his parents.

"You should stay." Alice mumbled, turning a bit so her face was pressed against his neck and the sun wasn't in her eyes. "Who will I sleep on next year?"

"That is a problem." Ben said with a small smile.

* * *

><p>"So, guess I'll be seeing you?" James questioned as they stood at the station.<p>

May and June flew by and the exams turned out fine. Ben knew he was right to not stress over it, though he knew he barely passed most of them. He did excellent in charms, transfiguration, and care of magical creatures. He had to thank his Ravenclaw friends that forced him to study.

The ride back to the station was quiet and sad, especially for Bailey and Ben, who had to leave minutes after arriving at the station. Ben would have liked to get a longer time to say goodbye, but he was itching to get home and see his parents and siblings and have Clara running at him the second he opened the door.

"Of course." Ben said with a grin, knowing it was a little bittersweet. 'I'll email you...or write to you…whatever you British folk like to do."

"Don't be an arse." James said and hugged him. Ben hugged him back, still grinning. "And don't get yourself killed over the summer." He added when he let him go.

"I'll be babysitting. I think I'll be fine." He ruffled Rose's hair, and Scorpius' too. "Make sure Albus stays cute you two!"

"Ben." James growled and he elbowed his friend. Albus just shook his head and sighed, but he was going to miss Ben.

"You better email me too!" Alice hugged him tightly, eyes misty. She had just said good bye to Bailey and she didn't want Ben to go too. "Seriously Ben!"

"Alice, my dear, of course I will email you." He replied and she pulled away, kissing his cheek quickly with a frown on her face.

"You sure you don't want to stay with me this summer?" Eleanor asked, cheeks red and eyes watery when Ben looked at her.

"I would if I could, princess, but I got kids to take care of." He pulled her into a tight hug. "But how about I call you every day? Then you can listen to my voice but you can hang up whenever you get mad at me."

"I'm always mad at you." She replied into his shoulder, hugging him back just as tightly. "I don't want you to go. Come back next year, promise?"

"I don't want to make that promise, Ellie, when I might not be able to keep it. My parents are pretty furious about my new scar." He let her go, but she still clung onto him. "I will try my hardest though."

"Nooooooooo!" She whined, starting to cry which made Alice start to cry and James wiped a tear off his face. Seems they were all horrible with goodbyes.

"Princess, c'mon, don't cry. You're making them cry too." He said when Eleanor let him go. He wiped her cheeks off and felt a pang in his chest. "And you'll make me cry. I'm going to miss you, but I will call, or at least email you, everyday, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise." He replied and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, you big idiot." She grumbled, starting to feel a little embarrassed now as she wiped her face and tried to regain her composure.

"Ben! C'mon!" Bailey called, with the other exchange students. They were getting sent off soon, real soon. "We gotta go home!"

"I'm coming!" He called back before smiling at them again. "I'll see you all later, keep an eye on her!" He said, nodding towards Eleanor before he trotted off to the group. The professor, they assumed from their school in America, counted them all quickly before smiling and giving them simple directions. They were all in a circle and reached out, grabbing the portkey in the center before it turned blue and they were gone.

"I miss him." James whined, already wanting his best friend back.


	19. Chapter 19

**SIXTH YEAR IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN**

* * *

><p>Eleanor looked out her bedroom window that was by her desk. She was in the midst of reading an article online but a bird outside caught her attention and now she was looking out at the August scenery, sighing deeply.<p>

Her trunk was in the corner, ready to make its way to Hogwarts the next day. She tuned out the noises from the window and returned her attention to her laptop screen, where she had a chat window opened up. Ben's chat name was offline, and it had been for the past five days. He hadn't called her and only replied to one of her emails, apologizing for being so absent as of late. One of the kids was sick and it was getting hectic at home. That was two days ago.

She felt sick as she thought about going to the train station and getting on it alone, without Benjamin there. She really thought he was going to get to come, but she knew now that it was impossible.

She heard knocking on the door, probably Caleb trying to get her to come down for dinner. It was still awkward with her and her siblings, but they were trying and came to dinner tonight to see her off to school.

"Not hungry!" She called, wanting to be left alone. There was knocking again, and she groaned. "Caleb, seriously, go away." She heard something get pushed under the door. She turned away, leaving her laptop to go investigate the paper that had been shoved under the door. "The hell is this?" She questioned, picking up the paper and unfolding it, gasping at the drawing. It was of her, book in her hand and an annoyed look on her face. "What is this?!" She slung the door open and screamed loudly.

"Hot damn, that's not what I was expecting." Ben said, wincing at her scream. She just screamed again and ran at him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her too, smiling.

"Benny! You're here!" She squealed, not wanting to let him go. "But…how? What about all your school supplies?"

"Amelia picked up the stuff for me. My trunk and cat are downstairs." Ben smiled, letting her go to look at her. "You've gotten taller, princess."

"Yeah, but…..you grew taller too." She grumbled. Ben had easily grew by four inches, she barely grew an inch and a half. He still had his same haircut and his face looked exactly the same. "Still not letting me see your real face?"

"No." Ben replied and patted her head with an amused smile. "Don't tell Potter or Alice, got it? This is supposed to be a surprise." He said and Eleanor nodded her head before Ben pulled her up into another hug. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too!" She hugged back, smiling widely. "I really didn't think you were coming back."

"Parents were pissed at first, but I'd be miserable if I didn't get to come back to school here. I love you guys too much to stay away." He pulled her towards the stairs, stomach grumbling. "It's pasta night, so let's dig in."

* * *

><p>"They're taking forever." Ben complained, sitting in a compartment on the train. Eleanor was across from him, looking at her watch.<p>

"I told them to meet me in this compartment." She told him, looking out the window at the station brick wall. "We got here early, so it might be a while."

"I knew you'd come back." Bailey smirked when she opened the door and saw Ben sitting there. She shut it behind her and sat by Eleanor. "I asked Professor Stuns about you, she totally ratted you out and said you were coming over later to surprise Eleanor."

"You didn't tell anyone else right?" Eleanor asked and Bailey shook her head.

"I knew better. Alice is on her way. She's going to flip. She has been talking about you a lot lately." Bailey told Ben with a small smirk.

"Hello!" Alice's voice chirped as she opened the door. She saw Ben and froze. "Oh…oh my god." She started and then squealed like Eleanor had done. Ben jumped up and hugged her, lifting her off the ground in a bear hug and he set her down after a minute. "I knew you'd come back!"

"Everyone knew, didn't they?" Ben smirked, kissing her cheek and pulled her down to sit next to him. "Now we're just waiting for Potter."

"He was saying goodbye to his parents." Alice said and smiled at Ben, hugging him again. "I'm just really happy you're back."

"I'm happy to be back, you have no idea." Ben said with a chuckle. The door opened and the twins came in, both smiling widely at Ben. They shook his hand and sat next to Bailey and Eleanor. "Not surprised?" Ben questioned and they shook their heads.

"Knew you were coming back." They said in unison.

"How boring." Ben frowned but the door opened before he was going to say more.

"Sorry I'm a little late. My mother was taking forever to let us get on the train." James complained, running his fingers through his hair, spiking it up a bit. The group just looked at him, and he looked back.

"Give it a second." Alice said, shaking her head at James' obviousness.

"Youngblood!" James exclaimed, eyes wide when he realized his friend was there.

"Potter!" Ben replied and got up. They hugged each other, both equally excited to see each other again.

"I'm so happy you're back! I didn't think you'd come back!" James continued happily, the two looking like the biggest dorks on the train as they hugged.

"You really didn't think he'd come back?" Albus questioned, standing next to his brother with Rose and Scorpius behind him.

"Albus!" Ben let James go and hugged Albus until James smacked him over the back of the head and he let the male go and whined. "Guess I'll see you in the common room." He winked at Al and James pushed Ben into the compartment and shut the door.

"You got to stop flirting with my brother." James muttered, sitting down next to Alice as Ben took her other side.

"I do it to bug you." Ben told him with a deviously grin.

* * *

><p>"Tell me, Potter, how did you spend your summer?" Ben questioned the second week of school. The first week had been chaotic, but things had finally calmed down. "I mean, I know the tid-bits from your emails. You get off topic a lot. You also don't proof read a lot of your stuff either."<p>

"I was in the moment." He told his friend, elbowing him. "I helped my uncle at his joke shop for a lot of the summer. I came up with so many great pranks. Have you mastered transfiguring into McGonagall yet? That will be majorly helpful in most of these pranks."

"Of course." Ben replied with a smirk. "I got her down perfectly, almost as good as I have Eleanor down. Please tell me these pranks are better than the bath bomb one you pulled on Albus."

The bath bomb prank was amazing, until it wasn't. Ben had gotten the complete story from all three of the Potter children. Lily Luna and James were the pranksters, and poor Albus was the victim. Lily and James created this bath bomb that they told Albus they bought out on a shopping trip with their mom one day. They claimed they got it for him because it smelled like Sage and Citrus, two of Albus' favorite scents.

When he put it into his bath water, it sort of…exploded. Albus' hair turned green, his skin a light green = off, and the entire bathroom turned green as well. While Albus had to scrub the green out of his hair and off of his skin, James and Lily had to scrub the bathroom to get the green off of the floor and walls.

In theory the prank was great, but in practice, not so much.

"Hey, it was a good prank. We just have to modify it." James said, being positive about it.

"Other than pranks and goofing off, tell me, how much time did you spend with princess?" He questioned, referring to Eleanor. "Or….thinking about her?"

"We hung out a few times…" He blushed, glancing away. His affections for her only grew during the summer. "Of course it wasn't the same without you there. She didn't like hearing about the pranks I had planned." James pulled at his jacket, happy he only had one class today.

"Maybe she's still sore about the whole burning her hair incident?" Ben questioned and James groaned. Was she really still upset about that? He had said sorry like, a million times. "Relax, dude, you're her friend now." He patted his friend's shoulder. "I think you two are coming along nicely."

"Yeah, and what about you and Alice?" James questioned, interested in the two. Ben shot him a confused look, not understanding the question. "What? Mate, have you not seen how she's been acting around you? She's all nervous."

"Really?" Ben furrowed his brows. He hadn't noticed. "You think I did something wrong?"

"No, I think she might fancy you." James told him, surprising Ben. "Either that or you did something wrong. I think it could go either way with you."

* * *

><p>"Eleanor, can I talk to you?" Alice questioned, hurrying up behind her best friend. She was nervous as she brushed her dark hair behind her ear.<p>

"Of course, is something wrong?" Eleanor replied, a little worried over the serious tone of her best friend. "Alice, you know you can talk to me about anything."

"Yeah, I know…" Alice nodded her head, her heart beating faster. "I was just wondering…if you would be okay if I asked Ben out…?" She questioned and watched as Eleanor's mouth opened and her eyes widened. She pulled her shocked friend to the side of the hallway, out of the other students' way. "Ellie?"

"B-Ben? You want to ask Ben out? Our Ben?" Eleanor fumbled over her words, mind going a mile a minute. Was Alice being serious? She wanted to date Ben? "Why?"

"Why?" Alice asked, not sure if she should be worried how Eleanor was taking this. "Because, over the summer, I realized I had….feelings for him." She stated this part slowly, hoping Eleanor was listening and not lost in her head. "I know you two are close, and it's not like I'm going to come between you two or anything. I don't care if he still holds your hand and spoils you or anything like that. I know that's how you two function and it's endearing. I just wanted to know if you would be okay with it?"

"Alice, you don't have to get my blessing or anything." Eleanor told her but they both knew it was a lie. Whoever ended up with Ben was going to have to go through Eleanor, and vice versa when Eleanor got a boyfriend. "Sure, you can ask him out. I don't know if he'll say yes, but I don't see the harm in asking." Even if he said no, Ben wasn't going to be awkward about it.

"Thank you! I'm going to find him now!" Alice smiled and hugged Eleanor, before hurrying off.

* * *

><p>"You think that'll make the bath bomb prank better?" James questioned Ben, who looked like he was ready to shove a bath bomb down James' throat. They had planted themselves on a stone wall in a courtyard, not busy with classes at the moment.<p>

Ben's head was still wrapping around the idea that Alice might like him. He found it impossible, because Alice was…well…Alice. "Potter I know nothing of bath bombs." He groaned, wishing they would talk about something else. "Don't bother poor Al again with those things."

"He's such a fun target." James chuckled, thinking of his younger brother. "Who else will I prank? I guess I have a larger selection here at school." James looked around, trying to pick his next victim when he saw Alice. She was looking around as well, but started to approach them when she spotted the two males. "Oi, Alice is coming this way."

"Dude she doesn't like me. You're off of your rocker." Ben told James and smiled at Alice when she got close enough. "Hey Alice. What's up?"

"Hey guys, uh, nothing much. Ben, could I speak to you?" She felt nervous, even more nervous than when she spoke to Eleanor earlier.

"Sure. Catch you later, Potter, and have a new prank to discuss." Ben said as he grabbed his bag and got off the wall. James stuck his tongue out and watched the two walk off. "Something the matter?" Ben questioned as they walked down a nearly empty hallway.

"Will you go out with me?!" Alice exclaimed, turning around quickly to face him. It startled Ben and he stepped back.

"What?" He squeaked. James was right? Oh god, he was going to have to hear about that for the rest of his life. "You want to go out? With me? You're asking if I'll go out with you? Why? You like me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, it wasn't supposed to come out like that." Alice sighed, embarrassed beyond belief. "It's just…it's not what you think."

"Okay….?" He was more confused now.

"I need you to sort of fake date me." She stated. "Okay, let me explain. You see, my father doesn't really like you."

"Great way to start this." Ben muttered, making a face at her.

"Sorry, but it's the truth. He doesn't like that I'm friends with you, and I know he won't like me dating you."

"Is this some way to rebel against your dad or something?" Alice was awful at explaining this.

"No no no." She told him, putting her hands up. "Sorry, this isn't making much sense, but, over the summer, I kind of realized I'm bisexual." She said, expecting him to freak out, but he just looked at her like normal. This was Ben she was talking to. Why would he freak out?

"That's pretty cool. We can talk about girls and boys together." Ben joked, hoping to make Alice feel less nervous. "I don't really care if you're bisexual Alice, it's chill by me. We all know I'm down for anyone."

"That's why you're the only person that knows and I would like to keep it that way for a little while, if you don't mind." She said, knowing it was a lot to ask of him, especially since he would have to keep it from Eleanor and James. "Getting back to the dating thing. I'm not sure how my parents will take it. I hope they'll be understand, but, I'm just not ready to tell them, so, since my dad doesn't like you, I was figuring maybe I could test the waters?" She questioned, hoping it would make sense.

"Oh, I get it." Ben said, understanding. "If he's cool about you dating me, then it'll make you less nervous about telling him you're bi?" He questioned and she nodded her head. "I'm sure he'll be fine with your sexuality, but I get you're not ready to tell him yet. Won't you think he'll think you dating me is you rebelling?"

"That's another thing I'm worried about. He's been taking my acts of testing the waters, like dying my hair purple for the summer and breaking curfew a few times, as acts of rebellion. So, if you agree to date me, we'll have to date for a few months." She was getting less nervous about this. Ben was taking this so well.

"Got it." Ben nodded his head, thinking it over. So James was wrong! Ha! Ben knew he was right. "I'm down to being your fake bf. Just warning you, I've never been in a relationship so you'll have to show me the ropes of it." Alice broke out into a huge smile and hugged him.

"Thank you so much, Ben. You are a life saver!" She exclaimed and he hugged her back. "Don't worry, I'll teach you how to be a boyfriend. You practically act like one anyway. We'll have to make this seem real, so you don't mind kissing me, right?"

"Hm, would I miss kissing a beautiful girl?" Ben questioned in a sarcastic tone, pulling away to look at her. "Definitely not, Alice. So, how are we going to tell the crew that we're dating? Oh gee, what about Ellie?"

"I took care of her. I asked her for permission to date you."

"Smart move."


	20. Chapter 20

"Did you hear?" Rose questioned Scorpius and Albus when she rushed to meet up with them before lunch the next day. Albus and Scorpius both stayed quiet, so it was obvious that they didn't know what she was talking about. "Alice and Ben are dating!"

"What?" Albus questioned, surprised by this. He knew the two were close, but not that close. Ben always talked about not being interested in anybody, but maybe that was just last year? "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. James told me. He apparently told Ben Alice liked him, but Ben didn't believe him until Alice asked him out. You have no idea how pleased James is with himself. It's like he set them up." She rolled her eyes at her cousin when the three of them entered the Great Hall.

The group of sixth years were already at their table. This time around, Ben was allowed to sit with them at lunch, and James was sitting with them too. Eleanor was in-between James and Ben, while Alice sat next to him and the others, Loran, Lysander, and Bailey, sat across from them.

"I think they're cute together." Rose continued when they sat at their own table. It was odd, not having Ben sit with them this year, but it didn't surprise them too much when Eleanor gave in and let him sit with them when Ben and James began to whine to her. "They complement each other well too. She's very sweet and lovely, and Ben is protective and doting."

"I can see it working." Scorpius shrugged, not super interested. "So, did you two understand the potion's lesson today?"

* * *

><p>"I think we're doing a pretty damn good job." Ben said, praising the both of them as they walked down the hallway, holding hands. Alice smiled at him and nodded her head.<p>

It had been an entire month of fake dating and it was going smoothly. Ben found out it was a lot of fun to have a girlfriend on your birthday because you got lots of kisses and that was always fun. Even if they were from Alice, kisses were kisses.

"I can't believe they were all so….calm about it." She thought it was strange how everyone took it so well. No one seemed very surprised. At all.

"They all told me they could tell I fancied you." Ben blew his blue bangs out of his face. "Apparently I fancy you?" He didn't think he liked Alice like that. He wasn't very sure about any of his feelings, actually.

Alice laughed a little at this, looking at her fake boyfriend. She was told that too. "We shouldn't been worrying over it I suppose. Means we're doing a good job. I'm just happy it's working."

"Me too. I've learned so much about being a boyfriend." He continued, nodding his head. "It's not as hard as I thought it was."

"Well you were practically one already with how you treat Eleanor and me." Alice told him when they arrived at her class. "Guess I'll see you after class?" She questioned and he nodded her head.

"Aren't you going to snog her?" James startled them as he walked by, kicking Ben in the butt and taking off running down the hallway, laughing loudly.

"Ow! Potter!" Ben exclaimed, shouting after him. "I'll see you after class." He quickly kissed Alice's cheek and took off after his best friend.

"You two are cute." Eleanor said as she approached the class, looking at her best friend. She had been very worried about the two of them dating, but, it was sort of like normal. Yeah, Ben spent a little more time with Alice, but not that much. He still walked Eleanor to class when he could and spoiled her rotten, so she was content. "Better not be distracting him from his studies."

"Oh I'm not. He actually enjoys class this year since it's more focused in on things he likes to do." Alice said as they walked into class and sat next to each other. She felt guilty for not telling Eleanor the truth, but, she wasn't ready. "He's doing well."

"How is your dad taking it?" Eleanor asked. She knew Alice's dad wasn't the biggest fan of Ben.

"Oh, he's fine…." She muttered, sighing. Her dad still thought it was some rebellious teenager stage and that the two would be broken up soon. "I don't see why he dislikes Ben, he's a total sweetheart."

"Dads are weird." Eleanor patted Alice's shoulder, making her feel better. "Give him time, he'll come around."

* * *

><p>"You're going to try out for Quidditch again, right?" Alice asked, pulling her scarf around her neck a little more when a cold breeze sent chills down her back. Ben put his arm around her, pulling her into his warm side.<p>

"Of course. Captain has already spoken to me about it." Ben replied, excited about it. "Ellie's already got me runnin' laps in the morning. Got to keep myself fit. Try outs are next weekend. A bit earlier than last year, but, oh well. Least this year it'll be separate from the other teams. That was too chaotic last year." He mumbled. "Where are we going?"

"Down to the shores of the Black Lake of course." She said like it was the simplest answer. She was the one leading, Ben just let her guide, not really caring where they were going. He didn't see the point in going down to the shore, but Alice was excited about it. They walked down a well-worn path, leading down to a beach. Alice pulled her back pack off of her bag, one that was well worn and looked like it had been on her back through many adventures, and pulled out a rolled blanket she had stuffed in it.

Ben took it and spread it out on the sand and plopped down on it. Alice pulled out another blanket and joined him, putting the blanket around them. She snuggled up next to him, watching the waves wash up to the shore. "I come here a lot to read or do homework." She said after a few minutes of silence. "It's really soothing and not too many people come down here when it's colder." She said and glanced to the other couple that was further down the shore, enjoying each other.

"No wonder I had trouble finding you last year." That made so much sense now. She was hard to find last year. Now, she was always nearby. "I'll have to check down here when I look for you from now on."

"Don't go giving my hide away spot away." She told him, nudging him gently. "Thank you, again, for doing all this. I know it's all new to you but you've been so great this past month." She started, feeling so lucky to have Benjamin as a close friend. He was really confused at the start of it, and nervous. It was absolutely adorable to see the Slytherin blush when she kissed him, or held his hand, or hugged him. He still blushed, even now, but he was more confident in it.

"Alice, it's cool. I'm happy I can be of help. Besides, I'm learning a lot here, and I get kisses." He smirked and she patted his hand before resting her head on his shoulder. "Kisses are always fun."

"Glad you think so. You're a pretty decent kisser, Youngblood." She teased, glancing at him. The kissing had been quite fun. They hadn't done much of it, except for on his birthday, when she pulled him into a dark stairwell couples often hid in to get privacy and made out for a good thirty minutes. The kissing didn't bother her or make her feel awkward at all.

"I try my best, Longbottom. Good thing my girlfriend is so amazing at it." He felt her shake a little, giggling at what he said. "Having a girlfriend is fun. I'm sure when I get a legit one it might be more difficult." He mumbled.

"Have you ever liked someone like that, Ben?" Alice asked, curious. She felt like she didn't know as much about Ben like James and Eleanor did.

"No, not really. Is it embarrassing to say I actually don't know what it feels like to have a crush?" He admitted, feeling his cheeks get pink. "I found people attractive, but, I guess I never get close enough to people to start having feelings for them in that manner. Last year was the first time I had more than three friends, and I think that's only because I stayed with Eleanor and befriended her and in turn become friends with all of you. I had maybe…one good friend in America."

"I would've befriended you, even if you weren't friends with Eleanor. You only had one friend?" Alice asked, surprised. She had heard it from Ben a couple of times, but he never went into detail.

"Alice I don't have the best social skills. It's not that hard to come off as friendly when you are constantly with Eleanor. I am not a people person. I try to not be on people's bad sides, because you might need them for the future. It's not a difficult task to smile at people and be polite. I don't know why this place was so different. Maybe it's because no one knew me here? I could be whoever I wanted to be and the only people who would know were the other Americans." He explained. He and Bailey were the only ones to return to Hogwarts again this year. The ones that came with the last year stayed home and new students came. "I had one real friend, and that lucky lady was Bailey. I sort of had two other friends, Adam and Tristan They write to me, sometimes, but they were those friends you became friends with because you needed to."

"Oh." Alice said, not realizing that it was like that. "Must have been lonely for you those four years of school."

"Not really. Being alone never bothered me." He admitted, shrugging a little, careful not to bother her when he moved his shoulders. "All of you here were way cooler about what I am. I was the odd one out back home, which was stupid because we were all magical and were odd ones out, but whatever. Besides, I like what I am. It runs in the Youngblood blood and I'm lucky I got this. Makes me who I am." He said, changing his hair to pink. "Socializing has never been my strong suit. My grandmother taught me many things but socializing was not one of them."

"I think you're pretty good at it." Alice told him, watching the waves. She liked listening to Ben talk. His voice was deep and relaxing. "Why did you live with your grandmother?"

"She's a metamorphmagus too. We live in the muggle world, and my mother is a muggle. She didn't know my dad was magic until I was born. That was a mess." He grumbled, not wanting to talk about that. "I couldn't go to school or you know, out in public at all. I lived with my grandmother in the magic world, to protect the secret of magic, and because she could teach me how to control it."

"I want to see baby pictures of you." Alice said, smiling when she thought about a younger Ben running around. "I bet you were cute."

"Aren't I cute now?" Ben asked, a bit hurt.

"Oh yes, you have the cutest face." She said and lifted her head off of his shoulder. She pinched his cheeks teasingly. Ben felt a little bad, because, well, this face wasn't his actual face.

* * *

><p>"How are you and Alice doing?" James questioned Ben when they left class together. "You two disappeared for a while on Saturday. Ellie was looking for you."<p>

"She told me at dinner. I think we're doing well." Ben didn't know what to say. Of course he and Alice were doing well. They weren't actually dating. "Not that much to report I guess."

"How boring. Have you snogged her yet?" James asked with a glint in his eyes. Ben punched his arm and James started laughing. "You don't want to boost about it?"

"Uh, definitely not. Now, if I was kissing your brother, I might." Now it was Ben's turn to laugh and James punched his arm. "You deserved it. Speaking of your brother, hey Albus." Ben greeted and stopped to talk to the younger Slytherin, who looked to be on his way to the library. "How's it going?"

"The usual." Albus replied, not being the one to chat too much. "Studying, classes, homework, O.W.L. exams at the end of the year." He hadn't gotten to speak to Ben much lately. It was a bit saddening. He hadn't realized how much he liked talking to Ben until he never got the opportunity to. "A lot of boring stuff that I know you aren't interested in."

"You got the not interested part right, but I never get to speak to you anymore, so I don't care what you talk about, I'll listen." Ben was doing this partly because he liked to piss James off, and partly because he liked talking to Albus. He was so unlike his brother, yet they had a lot in common. "You doing okay in classes, right?"

"Of course, I am me." He smirked and there was the Potter cockiness. "How are you and Alice doing?" He had seen them around the school, holding hands and overall being an adorable couple. Rose was right, they fit each other so well.

"Great, I think. She's not pissed at me so that's good." He said and heard James whine from beside him. "Ah, well, I got to go. Your brother requires attention." He joked and let Albus go on with his day and went back to talking to James. Albus watched them walk down the hallway, chuckling to himself before making his way to the library.


	21. Chapter 21

"Try outs are always fun." Eleanor sat down next to Alice and Bailey, and James sat down next to her. They were up in the stands, watching the Slytherin try outs going on. Ravenclaw would be next, than Gryffindor. Hufflepuff went before Slytherin.

"Hope Ben isn't too rusty. Slytherin's first game is against us." James stated, chewing some gum. "Need him to be ready for when we kick their asses."

"Like you did last year?" Alice asked, smirking when James frowned at her. "I'm sure Eleanor has made sure Ben is in top shape for this season."

"You bet. We jog every morning." Eleanor told the group, nodding her head. "I make sure he lifts weights as he runs too. He's got to keep those muscles in his arms strong." She was confident that Ben would be fine. He was an amazing beater and would prove it in try outs today. "He'll definitely be beating you Gryffindors."

"Is no one on my side?" James complained and Bailey patted his leg, letting him know she would be on his side if needed. "Thanks Bailey, glad I can count on someone to help me out."

"What do you expect? I'm Ben's best friend and Alice is his girlfriend. Of course we're going to be on his side." Eleanor told the Gryffindor with an eyeroll. He could be so over dramatic sometimes. No wonder Benjamin was best friends with him. "This season is going to be great as long as there are no mishaps like last year. This is our last year of Quidditch, you know." She wasn't happy about this at all. The Tri-Wizard tournament was next year and of course Hogwarts volunteered to host it.

"So you better make it your best season." Bailey told the two players, nodding her head. "Are you going to cheer for Ben, Alice?"

"I don't want him getting cockier." She muttered, shooting Eleanor a look. Her friend understood it perfectly. "He already thinks he has the cutest face out of every boy in the whole school."

"That's not fair, it's not even his real face." James complained and Alice looked at him, eyebrows furrowed. He glanced back at her when he didn't hear her reply. "Uh…" He was starting to realize that maybe Alice didn't know that Ben put on a fake face.

"You didn't know?" Eleanor asked her. She could have sworn she had told Alice.

"That's not his real face?!" She exclaimed, shocked. How could that not be his real face? And everyone knew it wasn't his real face? "Everyone knows but me? I'm his girlfriend for Merlin's sakes!"

"Calm down, Alice. Really, not everyone knows. I don't think Lorcan and Lysander know. I don't know about Albus or Rose or Scorpius." Eleanor told her short haired friend, who was still freaking out. "I've never gotten to see his face, and he won't tell me why he transfigures his face. I always thought it was because he thought that he was ugly or he was deformed or something…."

"How are you so calm about this? He's your best friend and you've never seen his face?" Alice asked, not being able to grasp her head around it.

"At first, yeah, I was freaked out, but…I don't know. He's been a great friend to me, and harassing him about something that's obviously personal will ruin our friendship. I have a feeling he'll show me one day." Eleanor told Alice, patting her hand.

"It looks normal." James muttered and all three girls turned to look at him. "What?"

"You've seen his face?" Eleanor couldn't believe it. Potter had seen it before her? "That isn't fair!"

"After we ran into that dementor in the forest." He told them, feeling pretty special about it. "He was freaking out about it. When metamorphmagi get worn out or stressed out, they have trouble transfiguring. He was just drained by that thing, so of course he couldn't keep up his fake face."

"That's even more unfair. You almost get him killed, but you get to see his face." Eleanor pouted, crossing her arms.

"Well….what did he look like?" Alice asked, interested.

"Not telling." James told them, smirking.

"Seriously, James?" Eleanor complained. This was torture. "Could you at least tell us if he was deformed or something?"

"He's definitely not deformed." James thought back to it. Every time he saw Ben, he couldn't believe people fell for his fake face. His real face fit him so much better.

"Is he cute?" Alice asked.

"Hm." James mumbled, tilting his head a little. "Oh definitely. Very cute. I'm sure the summer was very kind to his face and made him even cuter." He told them, nodding his head.

"You answered that confidently. You sure you and Ben are sneaking off to any dark stairwells?" Bailey smirked when she asked this, making Eleanor and Alice laughed.

"No way!" James exclaimed, appalled she would even think of that. "Can't I say that my best mate is attractive?"

"I'm just joking, he's so into Alice." Bailey patted James' leg again, and laughed a bit. "You're so lucky, Alice. Ben is a great guy." She gushed, smiling at the male as he rode by on his broomstick. "I never thought I'd get to see him so happy."

"He told me a bit about his old school last weekend." Alice told them, all of them now watching him. "Did he really only have two sort of friends?"

"Yup. Adam and some other boy, I can't remember his name. Adam really liked Ben, I think he actually had a crush on him." Bailey tried to remember, but it was a while ago. "Ben just liked to do things at his own pace, which was usually faster than the others, and on his own. He's an independent sort of guy. I was the same way too. Our year had a lot of goof balls and slackers in it."

"Good thing you two are here." James said and cheered when Ben slammed the bludger hard with his bat. He gave James and thumbs up, appreciating the cheers. "Good job on training him, Ellie."

"Thanks. I did the best I could." She was very proud of herself for how well Ben was doing. "You really are lucky, Alice. Ben is amazing. Don't tell him I said that though, I don't want him getting all full of himself."

"I'm pretty sure he already is, but, I'll keep it a secret." She said with a smile even though she felt bad on the inside. She would come clean, once she was ready and once she thought the time was good to tell her parents. "You think if I asked him, Ben would show me his face?"

"He wouldn't let me see it." Eleanor told her. She would be so angry if Alice got to see it before her. She got that Ben was dating Alice, but Eleanor was still his number one bae. "You can try, but I doubt it will work."

"I made the teaaaammmm!" Ben cheered when he joined them on the stands. Eleanor was on the field now, the two already did their happy dance when he told her he made the team. He kissed Alice's cheek and grinned at James.

"Ben, you think I'm attractive, right?" James questioned his friend, eager to his answer.

"Oh, yeah, of course. I'd hook up with you if you weren't my best friend." Ben replied and James smirked at Alice and Bailey. "Why?"

"Just because." James told him, knowing Ben might get angry at him if he found out what James told them. Ben just shrugged it off, not too worried over the odd question, instead focusing in on Eleanor.

"She's gotten much faster." He said and James agreed, both watching her. "I can't believe she isn't captain this year. She'd made a good one."

"That's what I said too." James shook his head. "But I think she's happy just getting to play. Not like the captain bosses her around anyway, yeah? She knows fully well what she's doing. She's definitely going to get signed to the major league." James loved watching Eleanor play. She was so graceful and fierce at the same time. It was beautiful. She took control of the sky every time she played.

"You're drooling a bit." Ben chuckled, teasing James. "She's amazing. Any team would be lucky to have her as a player."

Alice liked to hear Ben gush about Eleanor. He was so endearing and loving when it came to her, and Eleanor deserved to have a best friend like that. She felt bad she was taking him away from her sometimes, but, James had been stepping in a little more, so it wasn't like Eleanor was completely alone. The two continued to talk about her until her try outs were done and it was James' turn.

"Get out there and kick ass!" Ben told him, patting his back. "I'll be cheering for you."

"Better be!" James replied and eagerly hurried down the stairs, excited for his try outs.

"You two are so cute together." Alice said, hooking her arm through Ben's. "I'm a little bit jealous at how cute, actually."

"I can't help it that I'm cute with everyone." He told her with a smirk. "Potter is my best frienddddddd, I must support him!" He exclaimed, excited to see how he was going to play. He really loved James. He didn't know when it started, but he was going to be friends with that idiot for forever.

"I made the team, of course." Eleanor announced when she made it back up into the stands. She sat next to Ben and he put his arm around her, giving her a side hug.

"I knew you would! You looked so great up there." Ben told her, making her smile. "James and I were talking about how any major team would be lucky to have you as one of their players. You get any offers yet?"

"No, but mom tells me they start trying to sign plays on towards the end of the season." She told him, leaning into him. She missed all his touches. She barely got any snuggles since he started to date Alice, which she was expecting, but she still missed them.

Eleanor and Alice both almost fell over when Ben jumped out of his seat and cheered loudly for James, hoping to embarrass the Gryffindor.

"Oh my god James I love you!" He screamed and he swore he saw James' flick him off. "Well damn, try to show my love and support and he treats me like that." Ben scoffed, sitting back down with a devious look on his face. "That was so fun. I hope they pick on him for that."

"If they don't, I will." Eleanor said and the two glanced at each other, keeping their smirks on their faces.

* * *

><p>Albus was settled down in one of the plush dark green chairs in the Slytherin common room when he heard someone else enter the room. He continued reading, not very interested in the other person. It was late, so they were probably heading straight to the dorms anyway.<p>

"Evening." He heard Ben say as the purple haired male plopped down on the couch. Albus showed him a small smile and nodded his head in greeting. Ben got comfortable and pulled out his sketch book, happy to be able to relax. School was so busy now, especially this year. It seemed they had been overloaded with more homework than ever and it was so annoying. He had been forced to use the extra time he was given to actually do homework so he wouldn't fall behind, so he and James spent their extra time doing homework together, and could sometimes convince Eleanor, Alice, and Bailey to joined them and help them do it.

Albus liked this comfortable silence they were in. He could hear the faint sounds of Ben's pencil or whatever drawing tool he was using, against the paper and it somehow soothed him. Ben had that sort of presence, though. He could see why Alice liked him so much.

Another person entered the common room and sat down in the chair across from Albus. It was a first year girl, who looked like she had a really rough day. Being a first year Slytherin was difficult. Even he had trouble with other students being mean to him just because he was a Slytherin.

"Hey, you okay?" He heard Ben and he looked to the older male to see him putting down his sketch book. He got up and walked over to her, sitting down on the footstool that was in front of the chair.

"No…" She sniffed, rubbing her face. "I don't get it. I don't get why they're mean to me. I didn't do anything to them."

"Who is being mean to you?" He asked, feeling bad for the girl. She was just a little first year. She had tan skin, like all she did was lay in the sun, and long curly dark brown hair.

"These Gryffindor boys." She told him, looking at him. "I don't know what to do. I want to go home."

"Hey, it's going to be fine." He said softly. "Those boys don't know what they're talking about, they are Gryffindors for goodness sake. The Slytherin house is an amazing house to be in and Hogwarts is a great place to go to school. When I came here last year, I really missed my family, but I made a lot of friends that are like my family now."

"Really?" She asked, hiccuping.

"Oh yeah. I'm from America, so I was worried they'd all find me annoying. Plus, I was placed in the Slytherin house and no one thought I belonged here. Turns out they were all wrong and I don't think any other house would fit me as well as this one but that's beside the point." He joked, patting her shoulder. "It's going to be really hard a first, but a lot of great things are hard at first."

"But what do I do about those boys?" She didn't want to have to deal with them again.

"You know their names?" Ben questioned and she nodded her head. "Well, you just tell me who they are and I'll take care of them for you, okay?"

"Really?"

"Of course! Don't let this get you upset, got it? Those guys are idiots, and Gryffindors aren't all bad. My best friend is a Gryffindor and he's an idiot but he's got a heart of gold. He'll help me take care of these boys for you. Remember, you have the entirety of the Slytherin house behind you. You don't have put up with others bullying you. I'll take care of it." Ben said, cheering her up a bit. She told them the names of the boys and he sent her off to her dorm so she could go to sleep. He went back over to his spot on the couch and resumed what he was doing, like the entire thing didn't just happen.

"You and James going to take care of them?" He questioned and Ben nodded his head.

"Oh, of course. I'm not letting naive kids bully each other like that. They're just kids, for god's sake. They shouldn't be bullying each other just because of the house they're placed in. Kids absorb their parent's opinions and their peers' opinions and take them as their own, even when they have no clue what they're talking about. It's sad." He shook his head, sighing deeply.

"That's really kind of you." Albus continued, glad his brother made Ben his best mate. "And if you need any assistance with pranking those kids, I will be happy to help."


	22. Chapter 22

**Alice and Ben aren't actually dating because if they did it would mess up what I have planned**

* * *

><p>Ben felt a light tap on his shoulder during lunch a few days later. He turned and saw the small first year Slytherin standing there. "Hey kid, is something wrong?" He hoped he and James' plan didn't backfire.<p>

"No, I just wanted to say thank you!" She exclaimed nervously, smiling at him. "And thank you too." She told James, who was quite pleased.

"No problem!" He told her, smiling widely at her. "Those tossers and all the first years needed to be dealt with. None of them should be bothering you."

"So go on and do great things kid. Make us proud!" Ben told her and she nodded her head and hurried back to her table, joining her small group of friends.

"What?" Eleanor asked, confused at what just happened.

"She was getting picked on by some first year Gryffindors. She came into the common room crying and I couldn't just sit there." Ben told them, proud of himself and James. "Told her I'd take care of it if she gave me their names."

"What did you do?" Alice asked eying both the males.

"Well for one, I told the Head Boy and Girl." Ben started. "So they sat down with all the first years and had a big lecture on bullying because these kids are so naïve and don't know why they're bullying each other in the first place." He explained.

"Then we pranked the three little tossers bothering her." James added, very proud of this part. "You know, since they are kids, we had to keep it low key."

"Most of it was James' doing since he had access to their rooms and things." Ben continued. "Simple things, like….giving them 'shower bombs' James made and making the things explode, causing their hair and skin to be dyed a weird color…"

"You didn't." Lorcan said and started to laugh loudly. Eleanor and Alice just looked at the two, mouths open. "Oh my god that is brilliant!"

"Thank you." They said together then grinned at each other.

"You two are idiots." Eleanor groaned, shaking her head. "But they deserved it. That'll teach them to try and bother that poor girl or anyone else again."

"I only dish out what's deserved." Ben said truthfully. "Next time they shouldn't mess with someone in my house because next time I won't be so nice."

* * *

><p>"You know, that was sweet you helped that first year out." Alice told Ben, holding his arm as they walked down the hallway together. They both had today free from classes, but they were heading to the library to work on some homework.<p>

"Anyone in the house would have done it." And he knew this was mostly true. Older Slytherins watched the younger Slytherins carefully, especially the first years. You had to or they'd get picked on just for being a Slytherin. "Besides, how could I have just sat there listening to her cry?"

"You are such a great guy." Alice wished she had romantic feelings for Ben. He was such a perfect guy.

"I know." He smirked, enjoying the compliments. Alice was very kind and he always felt good when he was with her. Now he knew how Eleanor felt when he spoiled her. "Aren't you lucky to be dating such a dashing guy?"

"You've been hanging out with James too much. Your bromance is getting stronger with him every day." She told him, shaking her head. Ben's time was pretty much split up between her, Eleanor, and James' equally. Sometimes they all spent time together, like during meals or study breaks when they all had free time, but they were the three that got his attention the most, and Alice always made sure she wasn't hogging Benjamin too much. Eleanor was known to get passive aggressive when Alice hogged Ben and James would get vocal about it, demanding to have time with his best friend.

Alice didn't blame them. If she was truly dating Ben, she would get annoyed with them, but she wasn't dating him and she felt guilty for taking him away from them just to pretend like they were dating.

"He's great. Hey, which one of us are you going to root for during the game this weekend?" He questioned. "Goin' be me against Potter."

"Hm, Eleanor will be rooting for you, but you know, Potter has his whole family rooting for him, so I'll root for you too. Besides, it'll look bad if I don't support my man." She winked, nudging him. He held the door open to the library for her and followed after her, dodging a flying book.

"Sorry!" A Hufflepuff male called to him. "Still getting the hang of this." Ben nodded his head and held Alice's hand again. She led them over to their favorite couch and sat down. Ben had actually caught up on his homework so he settled down in Alice's lap, wanting a nap.

"Don't you have homework to do?" She asked, pulling out a book from her back to get some reading done as her boyfriend settled his head in her lap.

"I did it all." He looked up at her, eyes bright green to match his hair. "Had some free time in class earlier so James and I knocked our homework out." She was impressed at that, but she knew Ben was smart and an achiever. When he did something, he did his best. She read a paragraph before glancing down at Ben, seeing him watch her. "Studying your features."

"My features?" She asked, setting her book down on the armrest beside her.

"Yeah. I can draw you now without having to look at you. Though I can't get your face right when you're focused on something. Eleanor kind of scrunches up her nose and James kind of look like he's slowly dying when he studies." He chuckled. "You look lost in the book and you kind of have this pleasant look on your face. Sorry, is that weird that I know what you guys look like when you study? It is weird."

"No, I think it's sweet. You draw me?" She questioned, cheeks pink. He looked embarrassed too, because all he had been drawing lately was Alice. He didn't know why, maybe it was because he was spending more time with her? He had been thinking about her a lot more too and sometimes he got this weird feeling in his stomach when she smiled at him.

Oh god.

Was he getting feelings for her?

"Sometimes." He mumbled, not wanting to admit how many drawings he did of her. She looked at him and he knew that glint in her eyes. She was already reaching for his bag and pulling out his sketch book before he could stop her. "Ali, seriously." He complained and sat up and tried to reach for it, but she shifted and turned a bit and he didn't want to hurt her trying to get to the sketch book.

"Relax." She told him and opened it, examining pictures of his dad and step mom, then some of his siblings, before moving into Eleanor and James, Albus, then a few pages of Alice. "Awah wow, Ben these are so beautiful. It looks just like me! You practiced so much to get me down too." Oh thank god, she wasn't freaked out by how much he drew her. She got to the end of the drawings before flipping back to ones of his family. Once she knew Ben wasn't going to freak out anymore, she sat normally and he put his head back in her lap.

They were all so good. His father and older brother looked so much alike, and his other siblings, Greg, Marcie, Kenneth, and Clara looked like a mix between Karen, his step mother, and his father. Ben looked like none of them, and she remembered someone mentioning last year, probably Ben, that he looked a lot like his father and brother.

"Ben, how come you don't show your real face?" She asked and his eyes shot back open. "I'm sure you are handsome. Your brother and father have amazing features." She looked back over the drawings before looking down at him. "Come one, show me your face."

"Eh, no thanks." He told her, turning away.

"Benjamin, come on." She ran her fingers through his hair, trying to get him to turn back around. "Is it so bad that I just want to see your face?"

He sighed and turned back again, looking up at her. "No, it's not bad. It's wrong of me to deceive you guys like this." He mumbled, knowing she was right. However, he wasn't going to just show it to her. "How about we play a game?"

"A game?" She questioned, wondering where this was going to go.

"I change my face and you tell me whether you think it's my real face or not. If you're wrong, I won't tell you, and just keep changing my face. If you get it right, I'll let you know and it can be our little secret. Want to play?" He questioned, changing his eyes to gold.

"Fine, let's do it." She told him with a firm nod of her head. "How long will this game go on?"

"It'll go until you get it right." He replied with a yawn. "Right now though, time for a nap. We'll play later." He mumbled, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe he suggested to play a game." Eleanor said, a little annoyed he proposed a game to Alice, but just shot Eleanor down every time she wanted to see his face. "How is it going?"<p>

"He's only done one face so far, and it wasn't his face. I'm thinking of asking James for some hints." Alice replied as Eleanor turned to watch the game, keeping her eyes on Ben as he flew about, hitting the bludgers left and right. "I have some idea of what his face might look like. Sort of."

"Your guess is as good as anyone else's." Eleanor told her as James dodged a bludger, almost falling off his broom. "Oh god." She winced, nervous for him.

"Ellie, you worried about James?" Alice smirked and Eleanor froze, slowly turning to look at her best friend.

"H-He's my friend. Of course I'm worried about him." She told Alice, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Since you've been hogging Ben, I'm been forced to spend time with him." This was true. James and Eleanor had been forced to spend more time together.

James didn't mind it, of course.

"Get it together, Potter!" Eleanor shouted at him as he zoomed by. This threw him off a bit and he blushed.

"I think she's warming up to you." Ben told James as he flew by his best friend, pleased with himself. He had given James the idea to try and get Eleanor to study with him. Since Ben was supposed to be focusing more on Alice, that left Eleanor out a little bit, so why not fill the void with James?

"S-Shut up! I'm trying to concentrate!" He told Ben, but he was happy to hear that. Spending time with Eleanor was great, even if she was yelling at him the whole time.

* * *

><p>"Great game." Ben told James once they were done in the locker room. It was a close game, but Gryffindor came out the winner.<p>

"Oh, I know." James smirked but put his arm around Ben's shoulders, laughing. "We definitely need to get some butter beer tomorrow. I've been craving it for the last month." He complained, wanting the drink. "I bet Ellie and Alice would like to come with us."

"Like they'd let us go without them. Apparently we get into too much trouble." Ben chuckled with an eye roll. They were right. Most of the time Ben spent with James was in detention. It was all worth it though. Every single prank and late night run through the hallways, trying to dodge professors along the way. James always seemed to know where they were and that blew Ben's mind. "Hey, how do you know where the professors are whenever we're out past curfew?" He questioned as they walked towards Alice, Eleanor, and Bailey.

"Uh…" James mumbled, wondering if he should tell him.

"And you always find me, even when I don't want to be found." Ben continued. There were days where he wanted to be left alone and would hide in a corner of a library or a stairwell. James always found him. Every time.

"You can't tell anyone, got it?" He said in a hushed tone to Ben. "I'll show you tomorrow night when we fill Professor Anita's office with bubblejuice." James had problems with that professor. She gave pop quizzes out during every class and he wasn't doing the greatest on them.

"Deal." Ben said and Eleanor crossed her arms, seeing the look on their faces as they approached.

"What are you two planning?" She asked, seeing straight through them. She always knew when they were up to no good, which was basically all of the time.

"To go get butter beer tomorrow!" James exclaimed, pulling away from Ben. "Hey now, where are my reward kisses? We won!"

"I don't remember agreeing to any reward kisses, you idiot." Eleanor smacked him over the head for saying that. "You almost fell off your broom. You need to focus more."

"Oh come on, Ellie, I was great out there, right Alice?" He asked, wanting some praise from the girls.

"Sorry, my eyes were on Ben the whole time." Alice smiled and kissed Ben's cheek and he put his arm around her, winking at James.

"Bailey?"

"I thought you were great out there, James." Bailey told him, patting his shoulder. He was so happy he could rely on Bailey to humor him and be on his side when the others weren't.

"Don't spoil him." Eleanor told Bailey, shaking her head disapprovingly. "If he fell off that broom, he could have seriously gotten himself injured. All shots at the pros would be shattered!" She was right about it.

"Magic can fix any injuries I get!" James was confident in himself. He was going to do great this season and nothing was going to stop him. "So don't worry about it."


	23. Chapter 23

"You're really going to show her your face?" James whispered to Ben late that night. They were hidden in a dark stairwell, nearly getting caught by a wondering Professor. He had heard from Alice about the little game the couple were playing. "You know she asked me for hints, yeah? I didn't tell her anything, because it's not my business."

"This wouldn't have started if you hadn't told them you saw my face." Ben muttered, making sure he didn't spill the bubble juice. "What was I supposed to do? I feel bad about not showing my actual face but it's just sort of a habit for me."

"I think it's dumb, but you have reasons for doing what you do." He wasn't going to get onto Ben for it, because he knew Alice and Eleanor probably did that enough. "I defended you to them though. When you were doing try outs they were talking about it, that's why I asked if you found me attractive. They thought you hide your actual face because you thought you were ugly. Totally stuck up for you man, told them you were a mega hottie."

"Thankssssss." He rolled his eyes, nudging James. "I am a mega hottie no matter the face I wear. Now, come on, let's do this."

"Alright alright." James pulled out a folded up piece of parchment and Ben shot him a curious look. "My grandfather and his friends created this. It's the Marauders Map." James told him, proud of his grandfather. "It shows every inch of the castle and it's gotten me out of so much trouble." He pulled at his wand, ready to show Ben how to use it. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He said, waving his wand a bit in front of it. The ink writing began to appear on it and Ben was extremely impressed by it.

"Holy shit." Ben said as he saw the footprints all over it, letting them know those who were around them. "No wonder you always were able to find me. This is seriously amazing."

"Yeah, swiped it from my dad's desk. No sense leaving it there. When you're done with it, just wave your wand and tell it 'Mischief Managed' and it'll go blank." He smirked, pleased by his friend's reaction. "Now, let's get moving!" He peeked his head out and the two boys began their way to the professor office, dodging professors as they went. They had a close called with Professor Longbottom, and that was the last person Ben wanted to run into. The guy already disliked him enough, even more now that he was dating his daughter. He didn't need another reason to dislike him.

"She's going to be so pissed." Ben chuckled when they got into her office. He didn't like the professor much either. He knew that of course, this year was going to have more work in it than last, but she literally did not give them a break. It was an exam every week and a pop quiz every class. Sure, if they had her class every day, it would be understandable to have an exam every week, and maybe a pop quiz every day, but they only had her class twice a week and it was killing them.

"We're doing our entire year a favor." James said as Ben opened the cap of the bottle the juice was in. A few bubbles came out and he drizzled it around her desk. James had his wand out, trying to decide if he should let it bubble on its own, or maybe stall it a little, which he learned was a fun trick. If he charmed it to stall, it would explode with bubbles when the charm wore off.

"Better charm it. The professors are really out tonight and if they see the bubbles under her door, we'll be in trouble before we can make it back to our dorms." Ben advised and James nodded his head, agreeing with his friend. He charmed it as Ben continued to drizzle it in larger amounts everywhere. "Now she'll be too focused on cleaning this up to give us that exam tomorrow."

"Which is great because we did not study at all." James hoped this was enough to distract her from the exam. They had class first thing in the morning, so they couldn't do much studying before class tomorrow, and they spent today out at Hogsmeade with their friends.

"I've got too much stuff on my plate to have to study for an exam in this class every week." Ben complained and capped the bottle back up once it was all poured out. James finished the charm and the two snuck out, smirking wickedly when they shut the door behind them.

"Same here. We're busy guys." James glanced at the map, making sure they weren't going to get caught when Ben slammed into…the air?

"Fuck." Ben recoiled, stepping back. "What the…?" He questioned, seeing a book on the ground in front of them. "Dude the hell?"

"Shush!" They heard another voice and suddenly Albus was in front of them. Part of his body, his left arm, was missing. He picked up the book he had dropped and looked at them, eyebrows raised.

"You have the invisibility cloak?" James whispered harshly as Ben stood there lost. "That's so unfair, I wanted it."

"You can't have the map and the cloak, you greedy arse." Albus told his brother, looking to the map in his hands. "I was going to get the map, but when I found out you had it, I went for the cloak. Seems it's more useful than I thought it was going to be. What are you two doing out here?"

"Nothing." James said and looked at Ben, who seemed to now be understanding what was going on. Invisibility cloaks weren't unheard of like the map. "Just taking care of business."

"Business? Who did you two prank?" Albus knew the two weren't just out for a midnight stroll. Why James thought Albus would think they weren't up to anything was beyond him. "I'm not an idiot, you know."

"Of course we do." Ben piped in. "Just giving us some time to study for another exams in Professor Anita's class." Albus nodded his head, understanding. "Now what are you doing out here? You don't seem like the one to be out past curfew."

"Usually I'm not." Albus wasn't a strict rule follower or rule breaker. He went with the flow mostly. "I needed a book from the library for this assignment I have due tomorrow. I forgot about it until tonight."

"Who's there?" They heard McGonagall question and they all looked at each other, panicked. Albus quickly threw the cape over himself and Ben transfigured into Professor Longbottom hastily, and put his hand on James' shoulder. "Professor Longbottom?" She questioned when she got closer.

"Sorry, Professor, I caught James here sneaking around." Ben spoke, hoping she was believing the act. James just smiled at her when she looked at James, sighing.

"Of course it's you. Where is your sidekick?" She questioned, shaking her head. "You know where James is, Sirius is never far away."

"Sirius?" Ben questioned, confused. She sighed again and rubbed her temples.

"I meant Benjamin. I am far too old for this. Take Mr. Potter here back to his dorm and I'll keep an eye out for the other trouble maker." She said and took her leave, disappearing into the dark of the hallway. Ben transfigured back to himself, still confused.

"Isn't Sirius your middle name?" He asked James as Albus pulled the cloak off of him.

"Sirius was our grandfather's best friend." Albus explained to Ben. "James was named after him and our grandfather. I guess she just saw our grandfather when she looked at James. He does sort of look like him."

"That was bloody brilliant. Uncle George is going to love this. I'm writing to him about it tomorrow." James was over the moon about it. "I knew I did well picking you as my best mate." He told Ben, who just shot him a look.

"Potter I don't think you 'picked' me." Ben said but James wasn't listening at all. "Okay, well, Albus and I are heading to our dorms. You better do the same before she catches on and runs into the real Professor Longbottom."

"Good point. See you tomorrow at breakfast." James said and scurried off towards his dorm. Ben and Al began to trek back to their dorms, Al keeping the cloak close in case they ran into a professor. Without the map, they were a little blind, however, he could cover himself up and Ben could transfigure, so they were sure they'd be fine.

"That was fast thinking back there." Al said, impressed with how quickly Ben leapt into action. "You and James are a troublesome duo. I feel bad for Professor McGonagall. She had to put up with my grandfather and his friends, my father and his friends, and now my brother and his friends."

"Awah, she loves me." Ben told him, smiling. "I'm the best student in her class and I don't mean any harm by my pranks. I just dish out what people deserve. I've prevented your brother from doing some pretty messy pranks. Besides, got to keep things interesting around here."

"Things are always interesting with you involved. They're hectic when you throw James in there with you." Albus muttered, rolling his eyes. "Now he's going to have so many more pranks to pull with your show of skill back there."

"And I will be awaiting those pranks." Ben chuckled when they made it into the common room. "But for now, time for bed. That wore me out."

* * *

><p>"I swear, you two really are idiots." Eleanor groaned at breakfast the next morning when she heard what happened the previous night. James and Ben were proud of it, not seeing how it was idiotic.<p>

"It's not even the start of November and you two are inching closer and closer to getting expelled." Eleanor continued. She didn't want Ben getting sent back to America and James to get kicked out of school. She couldn't even believe that tomorrow was November. The past two months went by so quickly, probably because so much happened.

"Eleanor, if my grandfather wasn't expelled, I think we'll be okay." James told her, finishing his letter to his uncle. "Plus, we got that awful class cancelled for today. None of you were ready for that exam."

He was right, none of them were actually prepared for the exam. It was difficult to study for an exam every single weak. The exams were over one chapter and were three pages long, so she went into extreme detail and it was impossible to study for it.

"We did everyone a favor." Ben continued. "And we'll be fine. No one ever gets expelled for stuff like that. Eat your muffin." He nodded to her and she pouted, but took a bite of her pumpkin muffin. "I enjoy Halloween but why must everything be pumpkin flavored." He wasn't a fan of pumpkin flavored things.

"I think they just went a little overboard this year." Lorcan understand his pain. "The feast tonight will have more food that doesn't taste like pumpkin. I hate pumpkins."

"I almost forgot today was Halloween!" James exclaimed. "Time to pull some pranks."

"No way. They'll be watching us." Ben advised, shaking his head. "Honestly, Potter, think about it. The day of tricks or treats? We won't get away with any prank. Besides, we pulled a close one last night. We need to lay low."

"That's not fun." James complained, resting his chin on his hand. Ben was right, and he knew it.

"Not like we have much time to pull a prank anyway. Mondays are always the busiest." Ben hated that he had a majority of his classes on Monday. It was not the greatest start to the week, but at least they were able to get their first class cancelled, so they weren't rushing to it right after breakfast.

"Maybe I could get Albus to let me borrow the cloak." James mumbled, thinking out loud.

"Good luck with that, you greedy arse." Ben smirked at James, who shot him a look. "Come on now, that was funny."

"Don't support my brother." He narrowed his eyes, glaring at Ben. "You're my best mate."

"I do and I love you." Ben told him and Alice nudged him. "And I love you." He told Alice, feeling nervous when she smiled at him and kissed his cheek. He was definitely in trouble if he was starting to get feelings for her.

"Hmp." Eleanor pouted, stuffing her face with her muffin.

"Princess you know I love you the most though." He told her and she smiled triumphantly at the others. "Speaking of you, what would you like for your birthday this year?"

"I dunno." She said, swallowing the muffin. "I've got a few books I want."

"Dibs." The twins said at the same time, making sure no one else stole the easiest presents to get her. "Just give us the names."

"Oh good." She smiled at them, knowing they'll get her the right books, or their parents would get the right books and send them over for her. "I'm not sure what else I want. Maybe a new sweater?"

"Ellie, I need ideas." Ben told her on behalf of himself, Bailey, Alice, and James. He couldn't draw her another picture for her birthday. "Come on now, I'm sure you have a list of things you want."

"You put me on the spot." She complained and he propped his chin on his hand, like James was doing.

"You better share some of those books she asked for." Alice told Lorcan, knowing she wouldn't be able to think up of anything Eleanor might want. Eleanor was picky and getting her a present was difficult.

"Ellie, I'm going to need you to think of stuff you want because I'm drawing a blank at what to get you." Ben told her, not being able to think of anything.

"I'll think!" She told him, feeling pressured. "I have time before my birthday. It's not like you were easy to get a present for." She scoffed and everyone kind of shrugged.

"He wasn't very difficult to get presents for." The twins said together. They had gotten him a book on dragons. No one even had to ask Ben what he wanted.

"I like almost everything." Ben told her, smiling a little. "Just think about it and give me a list."


	24. Chapter 24

**Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews! They mean a lot to me so thank you!**

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><p>"Has she given you a list yet?" Alice questioned on Wednesday afternoon. They were out in the courtyard, enjoying the changing season. It was getting colder and Ben knew that it was going to start to snow soon and they would be forced to stay inside.<p>

"No, of course not." He shook his head, setting the book he was reading on the table they were sitting at. "I don't think she realizes I have to write to my brother and get him to actually buy the item and then send it to me. That takes a little while. I don't want to get her anything with a fox on it. She has enough fox crap."

"I agree." Alice nodded her head, racking her brain for ideas. "Lorcan gave me one of the titles of the books she wants, so I might just give in and go with that. Really press her for that list next time you see her."

"I am and if she doesn't have a list, she won't be getting anything from me." He was a little frustrated with it. "I'm not asking for detailed items, just anything. I'm also asking for Potter, too. He needs help getting her a present."

"It'll be okay. You two will come up with something. Just don't go running off into the forest again, got it?" She questioned him and he nodded his head. He was never going back in that place. "So, your face. You've shown me a few faces and I haven't missed your actually face yet, have you?"

"Are you having doubts?" So far, he showed her five different faces. None of them were his actual face. He was feeling confident that she would know his face when she saw it.

"No, I would just feel awful if I missed it." She told him, patting his hand. "Now, c'mon, I'm ready for the next one!"

He looked at her, thinking. Should he use his actual face? He was going to have to sometime, and he figured now was as good as time as any. He transfigured his face back to his real face and felt nervous as Alice examined him. He changed his hair to blonde and eyes to blue, completing it.

"Hey you two." Albus greeted, approaching them. He almost froze when he saw Ben's face. He knew Ben and Alice were playing the face game, but, this face was different.

This face had prominent cheek bones and a smaller nose. The eyes were a little bigger, and bright blue. Albus suddenly felt embarrassed for staring so long, but, this was Ben's real face, and hot damn, he was good looking.

"Hey Al. I'm trying to guess if this is Ben's face." Alice glanced at him and patted the seat next to her. He sat down as Alice turned her attention back on her boyfriend. Albus didn't understand why it was taking her so long to decide. This was obviously Ben's face. It fit the rest of him perfectly and he smiled at Albus, seeming to know that Albus knew it was his real face.

This made Albus even more embarrassed because he had dimples.

Benjamin had dimples.

Benjamin was incredibly attractive.

He felt like this face was on fire now and he didn't understand why he was feeling like this. He had seen attractive guys before, and it's not like he found it weird he thought he was attractive. Albus always knew he wasn't straight.

"Not your face!" Alice exclaimed and Albus watched as Ben's eyes dimmed, upset his own girlfriend couldn't tell it was his face. He transfigured his face back to what it normally was, much to Albus' dismay. "That was a tough one, but you can't fool me."

"Oh, I bet I could." Ben joked, hurt over it. He let his eyes and hair change to other colors, trying to distract himself from how disappointed he felt. He wasn't sure why he was upset. Maybe it wasn't as obvious as he thought? But, Albus knew. He could tell with the way Albus looked at him, he knew it was his real face.

"Doubt it. Oh, I told Bailey I'd study with her. I'll see you later!" She picked up her things and kissed Ben's cheek. "Bye Al!" She waved to him before scurrying off towards the library.

Albus didn't know what to say to Ben. 'Sorry your girlfriend didn't recognize your face'?

"So?" Ben questioned, looking at Albus now. "What's your guess?" He wanted to make sure before he started to talk about it.

"I can't believe she couldn't tell that was your face. It had troublemaker all over it." Albus told and Ben smiled, his dimples still showing. "Dimples." He pointed to his cheek and Ben's eyes got wide before the dimples disappeared.

"Gotta remember to transfigure those away." Ben told himself. "How did you know it was my face?"

"It fit you. Plus, your eyes. I remember when you were in the hospital last school year." He started, thinking of the memory. "You were half asleep and you wanted water, so I gave you some. Your eyes were so blue then." They were beautiful eyes.

"Really? You're pretty sharp, Al." Ben told him, impressed. "Just keep this hush hush between us, okay?"

"But why? Why don't you just wear your real face?" He questioned, not understanding Ben's reasons. He wasn't ugly, he was quite the opposite truly. "Your face isn't ugly."

Ben laughed at this, pleased the younger male didn't find him ugly. "Ah, that's a long boring story, Al and I'd rather not get into it." He admitted, hoping Albus would understand. "Consider yourself lucky that you got to see my face. Now, why are you here by yourself?" He asked, changing the topic. "You know, the last few times I've spoken to you, you've been alone."

"Ah, well, Rose and Scorpius are sort of a thing now." He told Ben. "I think they're trying to keep it a secret from me, I guess they think I'm stupid or something. I don't mind it, I knew they liked each other from the start. They've been running off together a lot lately, so I'm just letting them. Rose will tell me soon, and if she doesn't, Scorpius will tell me."

"So you've been by yourself?" Ben questioned. That wasn't very fair of Rose and Scorpius to do. Ben made sure he made time for James and Eleanor.

"No, not really. I hang out with Amanda." He said, referring to the Hufflepuff Ben went out with on Valentine's Day last school year. "I have other friends than those two, plus, I don't really mind being by myself. I've got those exams at the end of the year and I need to study for those." Albus truly didn't mind. Rose and Scorpius were made for each other in his eyes.

"I figured something was up. I was wondering when they were going to get together. I guess they just don't want anyone knowing." Ben mumbled, thinking about the younger Slytherins.

"Rose is worried her dad will flip, but it'll be fine." Albus didn't see the need to hide their relationship. "But I'm letting them go about it however they want. Not my business how they handle their relationship."

"Smart move." Ben told him. "How's all the studying going?"

"It's fine. I like reading and studying, it's interesting to learn new things." Albus wasn't studious like Rose, but he wasn't one who detested studying. "Oh, did you hear?" He piped up, the thought hitting him suddenly. "Teddy and Victorie are engaged."

"No way!" Ben said, smiling widely. "That's so great!"

"Yeah, the wedding is going to be in July or August. Victorie can't decide. You and Ellie are invited if you're here this summer." Albus assumed James had told Ben and Eleanor this, but he was wrong. "James was supposed to tell you this."

"James is a little bit of an air head." Ben chuckled. "I'll definitely let Ellie know. Who knows where I'll be this summer, but I'd love to come."

"Awesome. Uh, well, I got to go." Albus stood, suddenly feeling self-conscience with Ben's eyes on him. "Later!" He hurried off, relieved he didn't trip in his hast.

"See you later!" He heard Ben call out to him.

"Woah, bro, what's with the rush?" He smacked into James, of course. "Ha, your face is so red! You got a crush or something?"

"God I hope not." Albus said with a panicked look in his eyes. He brushed past James before he could ask any more questions. James looked after him, not understanding what Albus' problem was. He spotted Ben out in the courtyard and walked out to him, sitting down at the table with a loud thud.

"Potter, you just missed baby Potter." Ben said, looking up from his book at his best friend. "He sort of just ran away.."

"Yeah, he ran into me and his face was all red." James muttered. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing!" Ben exclaimed, shaking his head. "He told me about Teddy and Victorie. Thanks for tell me that Ellie and I were invited." He made a face at James, who chuckled, embarrassed that he forgot.

"It slipped my mind." He said, glad that Albus told him. "You think you'll be able to come? I think it's happening at the end of July or start of August"

"I don't see why I wouldn't be able to. I love weddings." He grinned, closing his book. He wasn't going to read anymore with James here. "So, I showed Alice my face." Ben brought up, still disappointed by it.

"And?" He questioned, excited to know what happened.

"She didn't think it was my face." He said and James' expression fell. "Albus saw it and he knew, but Alice didn't."

"Al knew but Alice didn't?" James questioned. "I'm sorry, mate, that really blows. I can't believe Albus knew."

"He told me last year when I was out because of that qudditch match, he saw my eyes and that's how he knew." Ben pointed to his face, turning his eyes blue. "Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about Alice." He shouldn't be, because she wasn't even his real girlfriend, but he thought that maybe he was starting to get feelings for her.

"It'll be okay." James reached out and patted Ben's hand, giving him a smile. "I think you should tell her, honestly…."

"I might. I don't know." Ben didn't know if he should. Everyone would tell him to tell Alice because they all thought he was actually dating her.

"She's your girlfriend, you got to be honest." James continued and Ben rolled his eyes, blowing his now blue bangs out of his face. His eyes settled on a red color and he fumbled with his book, not knowing what to tell James. "If you ever want to talk about it…" He trailed off, not wanting to step on Ben's toes about this.

"I know." Ben replied, smiling at James. He wanted to, he really did, but he had tried to suppress it so far back in his mind. When he was here, it was like it never happened. "Thanks, James."

"No problem, you know I love you." James shot him a cheeky grin.

* * *

><p>"What happens if you put a werewolf on the moon?" James questioned at lunch the next day. Ben gave him a puzzled look, trying to answer it.<p>

"Potter that is a great question." Ben replied as the two thought about it.

"He'll explode and die because there's no oxygen on the moon." Albus replied, sitting with them. Rose and Scorpius were off somewhere, he didn't bother to ask, so he just joined his brother's friends at the table they always sat at.

"We never said we'd send him up without a suit, you absolute monster." Ben and James said at the same time and then looked at each other, smirks appearing on their faces.

"You two…" McGonagall said as she walked by the table. She shook her head at them, feeling a headache coming on. Whenever she looked at them, she just saw James Potter, the original one, and Sirius Black. She should be more concerned, because this James had the blood of pranksters running through his veins and the sassiness of his father, and Ben was a metamorphmagus and would gladly assist James in any pranks and was extremely cunning and skillful with his lies.

"Hey, professor!" Ben beamed at her. Of course, this one would love her. She couldn't stay mad at him. He was a great student and he always did his best in her class. She just ruffled his hair and shot James a look.

"You two, whatever you are planning, don't." She said and continued to walk to her spot at the front of the hall.

"She loves us." They said in unison, smirking again.

"Stop." Eleanor rubbed her temples, knowing how McGonagall felt. Alice snickered and Albus rolled his eyes and smiled at them. Sitting with them was proving to be entertaining. Whenever Ben looked at him, however, he felt a drop in his stomach.

"But, don't you love us?" Ben questioned, pouting at Eleanor. "You're my bae, Ellie."

"This is why I can never study with you two." Eleanor complained and the two males just looked at each other again. "Why are you two so in sync lately? It's freaking me out!"

"The summer made us realize how much we loved each other!" James exclaimed, holding Ben's hand overdramatically. "We truly are Romeo and Juliet, Ben! How cool is that?"

"Except it's platonic love, you are both male, you aren't from rival houses…well, I guess if you take the literal houses you two were sorted in, then you are in rival houses, but I doubt you two are idiotic enough to kill yourself and get everyone around you killed." Albus stated and the two looked at Albus before looking back at each other.

"Platonic Romeo and Julian, a highschoolAU where everyone lives and Juliet has been genderbent to Julian." Ben said and James nodded his head. "Oh, and dragons."

"Can't forget those dragons." Alice said and rubbed Ben's shoulder. "But what about me?"

"Julian has a girlfriend, it's all cool, babe." He told her, making her smile. "Bromeo, Bromeo."

"This is getting out of hand." Albus said and the twins laughed, enjoying this. Bailey agreed with Albus, but smiled at her two friends lovingly.

"Albus, you want to be my Mercutio?" James questioned his brother, sending him a look. "Join the fun! This is what happens when you sit with us."

"I elect to move James and Ben to their own table." Eleanor declared and the two looked at her, hurt.

"Are the tiki torches dimming?" Ben asked, hand on his chest. "Are we being voted off the island?" He was having so much fun with this. Eating lunch with James brightened his day. He didn't know what happened, but the two were suddenly far closer than they were last year. Distance did make the heart grow fonder, apparently. He just felt more comfortable this go 'round.

"At least we go out together." James said, pouting at Ben. "Oh yeah, I got this brilliant prank! Unfortunately we have to go check out a few things in the library for this one." He sighed and it went quiet for a moment. Both of them sprung up from their seats, grabbing their bags and starting for the library.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed and pouted when Ben looked back at her. Sure, they weren't really dating, but this was fun.

"Sorry." He grumbled as Alice looked at him. He hurried back over and kissed her swiftly, earning a few chuckles from students around them. "Later?" He questioned and she patted his cheek.

"Go play. Behave!" She called and he was off like a rocket, James laughing loudly as they exited the Great Hall.


	25. Chapter 25

**Figured it would be an approximate time to update due to the anniversary of the battle of hogwarts**

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><p>Ben yawned as Eleanor flew by on her broomstick. It was Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw today and also Eleanor's birthday. It was unfortunate that Ben and James had no birthday present list to go off of, and were forced to get thinking about what to get the girl, but Ben thought they did fairly well.<p>

"Are you going out to celebrate her birthday today?" Albus asked, sitting next to him.

"Of course. You know how Eleanor is." Ben replied, glancing at him. "You're more than welcomed to come, Al. It's always fun having you around. I've enjoyed your company at lunch and sometimes dinner when those two run off." He smirked at Rose and Scorpius, who both blushed and looked elsewhere. "You want to join?"

"You sure it's alright?" Albus wanted to come, of course. He enjoyed being around his brother's friends, well, they were his friends now too. "If Ellie doesn't mind, then sure, I'll join. I need a bit of a break from studying."

"You've got plenty of time to study, Al." Ben patted the younger Slytherin's back, making Albus' heart skip a beat. "You're smart, you can do anything you put your mind to."

"I know that. I'm the smartest out of my siblings." Albus smirked at him and Ben laughed loudly, catching Alice's attention. She glanced over, watching Ben and Albus talk with a curious eye. She thought of an idea, but shook her head, dismissing it entirely. It was silly and impossible anyway.

* * *

><p>"You guys rock." Eleanor smiled happily at her friends after she opened all her gifts. The twins, Bailey, and Alice got her books, while James got her a mug that said 'Go away, I'm reading' on it and Ben got her a locket necklace that said 'Though She Be But Little She Is Fierce' on it.<p>

"We are pretty awesome." Ben smirked, earning a look from his friends. Alice held his hand, grinning at him. His thumb was doing circles on her hand and Albus glanced away, feeling awkward now. He was started to realize he was possibly infatuated with Benjamin. He didn't want to be, because Alice was one of his best mates and Benjamin was his mate and best mates with his brother.

He was just infatuated with Benjamin because he saw how attractive he was under his 'mask'. If he hadn't seen his face, he wouldn't be feeling like this. They were shallow feelings and he just needed to push them away.

"You okay?" James popped Albus out of his thoughts and he nodded his head at his brother. "Don't go zoning out now. So, Ben, the bubble juice prank was perfection but I'm saying we go even deeper and really mess around with her. We should totally give it a go tonight!"

"Eh now." Alice said, shaking her head. "You told me you'd study with me tonight." Alice reminded her 'boyfriend'. He and James turned to whine at her, but Alice ran her fingers through the shaved parts of Ben's hair and his whining ceased. He leaned into her touch and sighed happily. "Weak spot." She smirked at James, who looked so defeated and betrayed.

"C'mon, Alice, let me hang out with my mate." He complained. "I need his help for this. Ben!"

"But I like scratches." Ben mumbled, relaxing. "Sorry, dude, but she got dibs on me first. I'd do the same for you if you and I had plans. Plus, man, I get snuggles and kisses. I love affection." Alice kissed his cheek after he said this and smiled happily.

"Mate." James muttered but Ben glanced at Eleanor and back to James. His cheeks went red and he shut up instantly. Albus chuckled at him and tried to stay calm. He would be fine.

"Don't I get birthday snuggles?" Eleanor asked with a pout. Ben smiled at her and winked.

"Of course you do, princess. We still have all day." He told her confidently.

* * *

><p>"Can you make it all the way back to school?" Eleanor asked Ben, riding on his back.<p>

"Of course I can! I do haul around four children on my summer breaks." He told her, making sure he didn't slip on the snow. "Especially when Clara wants to play 'princess'."

"You're the dragon, aren't you?" Albus asked and Ben nodded his head as Eleanor made sure his beanie stayed on properly.

"We don't slay dragons in my household, that's the worst thing you could do." Ben explained to the group. "We ride them, which means basically, I give them piggy back rides until dragon needs a nap. When dragon takes a nap, everyone takes a nap."

"That's cute." Eleanor smiled, hugging her best friend tightly. "You're a very good big brother, Ben. Caleb should take some lessons from you."

"It's easy when they're young. I just do what I'm supposed to do." He replied easily. "They're my siblings and I got to look out for them. When they get older they won't need me so much which will be totally heart breaking but hopefully they won't be as stupid as me. Hopefully they'll be better at magic too….I don't know though. I can sense that Clara is going to be a trouble maker. Probably a Gryffindor."

"What's so wrong with that?" James questioned, crossing his arms.

"Oh nothing, Potter. You are my best friend you know." Ben saw the castle in the distance, relieved. His back was starting to hurt. "I'll give you a piggy back ride next time if it will make you feel better."

"You two would collapse and hurt yourselves." Albus told the two, who frowned at him. "I'm being honest."

"Let them dream, Al. You know how they are." Alice smiled, hooking her arm through the younger Slytherin's. He glanced at her, a small amount of guilt pooling in his gut.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?" Rose asked Albus the next day at lunch. She knew her cousin had been acting strange lately. "Are you getting sick?"<p>

"No." He mumbled, not very hungry. He glanced over at his brother's table, seeing Alice pressed against Ben with his arm around her, keeping her close. He needed to get over this puppy love infatuation stage he was in.

"You quite sure? You're looking pale." Scorpius added, tilting his head a little and eyed his best friend. Something was up with him. "Haven't seen you like this since that crush you had that one month in third year."

Rose and Scorpius looked at each other before looking at Albus, who was making it a point to look anywhere else but his best friend and cousin.

"Al." Rose and Scorpius said together and he snapped back, green eyes looking at them.

"Hm?" He mumbled, wondering what the best way to go with this was. He was an excellent liar, like many Slytherins, but Slytherins were great at knowing when others lied. "Please, you two. I don't have a crush on anyone. I'm too busy with school for that." Albus could handle a boyfriend and school work. He was great at time management.

"Oh, please, Al, we both know you." Rose muttered, eyeing him. "Come on now, spit it out. Who is it?"

"It's nothing." He told them, wishing for them to drop it. It wasn't a crush. He was just attracted to Ben. "It's not even a crush. Can't I find someone attractive?" He rolled his eyes, a quick glance to Ben as the now pink haired male stood. He pulled Alice along with him, waving goodbye to his friends. Albus tried not to stare for too long, but Rose quickly followed his gaze and he swore she would get whiplash with how fast she turned back around.

"Albus!"

"No no no!" He told her, shaking his head. "It's not what you think, Rose."

"Then what is it? Albus, he's with Alice." Rose muttered quietly, a disapproving look on her face. Scorpius caught on quickly, looking at Ben as he and Alice left the Great Hall. "Alice is your friend, isn't she?"

"I'm not pining after him, for Merlin's sake." Albus felt so embarrassed right now. "I just saw his actual face and I found it attractive. That's it!" He didn't need Rose and Scorpius getting onto him for this. He couldn't help who he found attractive. "Look, I don't have any real feelings for him." He declared and the two looked at him, both sighing at the same time.

* * *

><p>"What are the plans for Christmas break?" James asked while balancing his quill on his nose. Eleanor looked up from her book, slowly reaching out and tapping the end of the quill, causing it to fall off the male's nose. She let out a little giggle as James pouted, his cheeks a slight pink from the adorable giggle.<p>

"The usual." Alice replied, sitting on the couch across from the other two with Bailey leaning against her, reading her own book. Benjamin was sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch as he concentrated on his drawing. "Family dinner. I believe we were invited to the Weasley-Potter get together this year."

"That'll be fun!" James exclaimed with a smile. "You and Ben are coming as well, yeah?" James asked Eleanor, who glanced to Ben. He wasn't paying attention at all, instead he was erasing and biting his lip.

"I suppose we are, if that's alright. I doubt my siblings will miss having me for lunch Christmas. Benjamin will be happy to go, he loves Charlie and Teddy." Eleanor set her book down and quietly got off the couch, curious to see what he was drawing.

"Watching him draw always makes me want to fall asleep." Alice said as Eleanor leaned against the back of the couch, watching Ben over his shoulder. His pencil glided across the paper, then served back to erase a messy line he used to do the base of the drawing. "He's always drawing."

"He drew the squid the other day." James said, coming over to join them. He inched onto the couch, getting comfortable so he could watch Ben draw. "Awah, what a cutie." He said as he saw the drawing. "That's Clara, right?"

"Yeah." Ben replied, surprising them all.

"Have you been listening?" Alice asked and he nodded his head, before glancing at her with bright blue eyes. "Oh…" She trailed off, almost forgetting what she was going to ask next, the eyes throwing her off a bit. "Clara is so pretty."

"Thanks. She's lookin' more like ma every day. Thank god. I don't want her looking like dad or Mitchell or I." He rolled his eyes, beginning to work on the details of the eyes. "Like we need another bruting looking family member."

"You don't seem like the type to having a bruting disposition." Eleanor said and he glanced back at her for a quick second, a small smile on his face.

"It's all in the cheekbones." He chuckled and went back to drawing, the motions of his pencil soothing him. "I'm a little worried about her…honestly…I haven't gotten a letter from her in a week. Usually it's one a day." His smile faded and his movements slowed down. "I'm trying not to worry incase she's fine but just busy with school or whatever she does now in her free time….I just don't want her sick again."

"I'm sure she's alright." Bailey said with a positive voice. "If anything was wrong, your family would tell you."

"You're right." Ben said, nodding his head. "Just….it's strange."

"What kind of disease did she have? If you don't mind me asking…" Eleanor asked, hoping Ben didn't mind her question.

"Princess you don't have to be shy about it. She had cancer when she was five….it was horrible. I think that's why Mitchell is so intent on the medical field. He wants to be able to help kids like her with magic." Ben answered, looking at the drawing. "The doctor said it was all gone, but cancer can always return. Bailey's right though, if something was wrong, my family would've contacted me. They know Clara is my little angel."

"You'll get to call her soon, so no worries." James patted his shoulder, excited for Christmas. "I'm so happy to have a break. School is wearing me out and Quidditch this season is seriously rough." He had ended on the ground in his last match with Hufflepuff. His arm had been badly banged up, but it was healing well and it didn't stop him from practicing.

"You should be more careful when you play. Both of you." Eleanor chided, shaking her head. Both males left their matches with bruises and banged up bodies. Neither seemed to care about their wounds, though. Eleanor made sure to keep her eyes peeled at all times, especially after last year's incident.

"Battle scars!" Both males exclaimed at the same time, smirking at each other, happy to be so in sync.

"I don't need you covered in them." Alice muttered, leaning over and running her fingers along the top of Ben's back. He sighed, content with the scratching. "You understand? Both of you need to be more cautious when you play and stop worrying us."

"Yeahhhhhhh." Ben leaned forward so she was able to scratch more of his back. "Can't help it. I get out there and I play rough. It's so fun to slam into people."

"This game is making you more violent." Bailey muttered, shooting him a look. "I never should have allowed you to try out. Your mother will not be happy about this."

"Heh." He mumbled, going over Clara's jaw once more. "It'll be all good. I'm having fun, and that's all that matters. No one gets seriously injured."


	26. Chapter 26

**I don't know how to do spells. The only time I performed them was at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and I was awful at it and the kids were always pushing me out of the way to get to perform it so I didn't get much practice.**

**this chapter feels so short**

* * *

><p>"How are apparition lessons going for you?" Rose questioned, taking a seat next to Benjamin in the Slytherin common room. Scorpius and Albus were with her, both pulling out books to finish up homework and to study.<p>

"It's a lot of fun, almost hurt myself yesterday though. My mind wasn't focused enough." Ben mumbled, staring at a blank page in his sketch book. "I haven't vomited though. I cannot say for the same for the princess." He referred to Eleanor. Her first attempt at apparition had her throwing up in the girl's bathroom for half an hour. Ben had handled it well, but he almost lost his arm yesterday and that was enough to make him feel ill.

"Lovely." Scorpius muttered with a disgusted look on his face. He hated when people talked about vomiting or blood or losing limbs. "I don't think I will be taking apparition lessons."

"I might." Rose was undecided. It was a useful tool to have, but, her stomach wasn't always the best and even when she did side apparition with someone, it always left her queasy. "What about you, Al?"

"Hm?" He questioned, not wanting to look up from his book. His feelings hadn't disappeared or faded, much to his dismay. "Uh, I might. It doesn't sound too challenging to me and I guess one of us should know it just in case."

"I just like being able to zap out, ya know?" Ben questioned, a little confused as to why Albus hadn't been looking him in the eyes lately. He didn't want to press it, so he looked to Rose instead. "Especially if I say something awkward or if I'm stuck with annoying people. I want to be really good at it so I can travel long distances. How cool would that be?"

"That takes a lot of skill. Think you could do it?" Scorpius asked, happy to talk instead of study or do homework.

"Of course I can! I've got to believe in myself." Benjamin said confidently. "Plus, it's a lot easier and cheaper to get the license over here than it is in America. My grandma told me she'd teach me but she can be pretty rough. If I don't pay attention closely enough she'll smack me over the back of the head."

"You probably deserve it." Albus smirked and looked up at Ben, forgetting why he had been trying not to for the past two weeks. Ben grinned at him and Albus could imagine the dimples and his blue eyes.

"Awah, Al, c'mon, I didn't deserve it all the time. She always washed my mouth out with soap too, but that, I can say, was well deserved. I wasn't the nicest child." He looked embarrassed to admit that. "But being here is really great for me I think. No one washes my mouth out with soap."

"We will if you start saying mean things." Rose told him, nodding her head. "So, you'll be coming to Christmas lunch, right?" Albus shot her a puzzled look. "Al, you didn't hear? Grandma invited Alice and her family and Eleanor and Ben to join us for lunch since we had so much fun last year. She really likes you. I think she might have knitted you a sweater."

"No way! I always liked all of you guys' sweaters." Ben replied honestly, wanting a sweater for himself. "I'm happy to come for Christmas lunch. Your uncle Charlie is really amazing. I want to hear more about his job. Caleb and Amelia don't really like me too much and I'd rather spend the holiday with people who didn't want to punch me. Plus, your family reminds me of my family and I miss them. It sucks not being able to go home for the holidays." He had gotten a letter from Clara recently, so his nerves had settled a little, but he was still concerned. "I miss my siblings a lot."

"Awah, it's okay!" Rose exclaimed, feeling bad for him. "You got us and it's like you're already part of the family. Uncle Charlie is fond of you and so is Teddy. You want to work with dragons, right? I bet Uncle Charlie could get you in somewhere."

"That'd be amazing. I really like them too. It's nice to know there's people out there that are like me and like the same things." He looked at his sketch book again and began to start the line art for a drawing. "I didn't think I'd get to meet another metamorphmagus other than my grandma, especially someone closer to my age. Coming to Hogwarts has definitely helped me achieve things I never thought would happen."

"Like what?" Albus asked, watching Ben.

"Ah, silly little things." He shrugged, glancing briefly at Albus before looking back to his drawing. He didn't say anymore and although Albus, and most likely Rose, wanted to push it, they didn't.

Rose moved to the table Albus and Scorpius were at and the trio began to study, having exams all this week before they went home for the holidays. Albus didn't mind studying, but Ben sitting a few feet away, features of his face lit up by the fire in the fire place, distracted him. He eyes kept drifting to Ben and his mind began to wander, wondering why Ben didn't like to show his real face, or what things happened that he never thought would.

"Hey, Al?" Scorpius whispered, gently patting his best friend's hand, not wanting to cause a scene. He knew exactly what Albus was doing but he didn't want to make it apparent to Ben or the few other students gathered in the room. When Albus jumped a little and turned to look at the blond, Scorpius tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "You confused on a topic?" He asked, eying Rose who was now looking up from her book.

"Ah, uh…" He mumbled, looking down at the page he was looking at. "No…"

"Are you sure?" Rose questioned, sensing her cousin was lying. "What are you having trouble with?" She didn't wait for him to respond and reached over the table, pulling his book away from him. "Transfiguration? That's never been your best subject." Rose commented and looked at Albus, and he saw the glint in her eyes. "Why don't you ask Ben for help?"

"What?" He whispered, leaning in. "Rose, you and I both know why that would not be a great idea."

"But he's the best at it. He's McGonagall's star student. She always talks about him." Rose was right, the Headmistress had a habit of mentioning Benjamin, but it was obviously because she was extremely proud of him. He was almost always the first one to her class and sometimes would stay after. "Al, are you scared to ask him? Look, don't let your feelings get in the way here. You need a good grade on this exam." She shook her head at Albus' nervousness. "Hey, Ben, can you help us for a quick second?"

"Hm?" He questioned, looking up from his drawing. He moved off the couch and walked over to their table, standing beside Albus. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Albus is having trouble with this." She pushed the book towards Ben, who set his sketchbook down on the table, placing his pencil and eraser with it. He leaned down and read the page, while Albus looked at the drawing he was working on. It was a dragon, he wasn't sure exactly the type because Ben hadn't gotten too far into the details, and it was looking up at the sky from its spot of the ground. It almost looked as if the dragon had a wondering look to its barely drawn eyes.

"Ah, yeah, this is easy." Ben said and pushed the book towards Albus. "Inanimatus Conjurus is an incredibly useful spell, especially when you've forgotten something." Ben started and launched into an explanation of it, breaking it down as best as he could. Albus was worried he wasn't going to be able to pay attention, but surprisingly, he followed well. "I think the main issue with the spell is how you move the wand." He pulled out his wand from his pocket and twirled it with his fingers. "The book's diagram for it is awful. Whoever drew it didn't know how to do the spell."

"Are you sure?" Rose asked, tilting her head. She and Scorpius had been listening in too, and by the looks of it, so had the rest of the fifth years that were studying in the common room.

"Definitely." Ben held his wand properly. "Okay, so it tells you to start left? That's not it at all. You start right." He held out his hand, pointing towards the table. "The best I can explain, you make an infinity sign, or a sideways figure eight, then slightly bring down the hand when you finish it." He demonstrated it slowly, so all the other fifth years could see it. "So, right, infinity, down." He did it again, a little faster. "Getting the motion is everything, so make sure to practice that before actually performing the spell."

"That's really how you do it?" A student asked, watching him carefully.

"Inanimatus Conjurus!" Ben exclaimed, performing the spell swiftly. His black beanie appeared on the table in front of Albus. "See?" He asked and put the beanie on smugly. "If you guys have questions, you can always ask me, or, you know, the Headmistress."

"It's just easier to ask you." Rose said and the others agreed. "Thank you, Ben."

"Not a problem. It's what I do, ya know?" He questioned, changing his eyes to purple. "Holler if you have other questions about anything. I did pretty well on my O.W.L.S. surprisingly." He grabbed his sketch book and went back to his couch.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Rose asked Albus quietly. He glared at her, cheeks flushed.

"No…" He muttered, shaking his head. He jotted down how to do the spell, knowing he'd forget if he didn't.

* * *

><p>Albus spent the majority of the week in the library, or in the common room, studying for the rest of his exams.<p>

"Hey, goin' take a break any time soon?" Ben asked him as Albus was curled up in a comfy green chair, reading a book in the common room. "We leave for home tomorrow. What could you be studying for?"

"I'm actually doing some pleasure reading." Albus replied, slowly looking up from his book. Ben yawned and stretched out on his usual couch, sketchbook in one hand and pencil in the other. "Don't you ever take a break from drawing?"

"When my hand cramps." He sat up, using the arm of the couch to support his back. "Sometimes it still stings…" He said this more quietly, rubbing the spot of his hand where Albus knew the scarred words were. Ben transfigured it away so others wouldn't see it, but he knew it was still there. "Drawing is enjoyable for me. It can be hard, especially when I'm drawing something I'm not the greatest at, but it makes me happy. I've been drawing since I was a kid so it's just a constant in my life. Very good for when I need to escape."

"Do you need to escape all the time?" Albus asked, feeling more confident in himself.

"Ah…no…not so much anymore." Ben admitted, looking back to the series of drawings he had on the page. It looked like he was practicing expression, the page filled with doodles of the same person, Eleanor, with different expressions. A few of James were thrown in there as well, his expressions were mostly those of confidence or joy. Albus wondered if Ben had drawn him lately. "Lately it helps soothes me and helps me fall asleep. I used to stay up real late drawing and I would be so tired the next day, I wouldn't want to get up. It always made my dad mad." He chuckled and flipped to the back of the page, ready to start more drawings.

Albus went back to his book, every so often looking up when someone left the common room, or the fire crackled, or the squid swam by. Ben would sometimes hum or crack his back, causing Albus to stare at him for a few seconds, before catching himself and returning his gaze to his book. He hadn't noticed it much before, but he saw Ben alone quite a bit. Of course, he was the only Slytherin in his main group of friends, so he would be alone in the common room, but Albus would see him in the library alone or in corridor reading by himself. He would be quiet then, a neutral expression on his face.

Just as much, though, he was often see him with someone else. Holding Alice's hand as they walked to class together, shoving James as they jogged down the hallway, napping away in Alice's or Eleanor's lap in the library, helping Bailey carry her bag when it got too heavy, sneaking through the dark corridors at night with James on a grand pranking scheme, carrying Eleanor's books, eating lunch with all of them. He was always happy with them, no matter what they were doing.

Albus wouldn't mind becoming a larger character in Ben's life. He felt that at the moment, he was still just 'James' brother' and he wanted to be more than that.


	27. Chapter 27

**So sorry for taking a while to update but thank you for following, favoriting, and reviewing anyway! **

**I'll be going out of town for work for almost a whole week, and that will majorly set me back on writing, so the next update will probably take a while as well, and I apologize for that!**

* * *

><p>Albus shuffled into the kitchen at his grandmother's house, looking for a snack. They had just arrived for the day's festivities and despite having a large breakfast, he was hungry.<p>

"Albus." His mother's voice was clear and he pulled his hand away from the tray of cookies that his grandmother just set out.

"Hey, mom, I got a quick question." James' directed her attention to him, shooting Albus a look. James began to ramble about quidditch, distracting her enough for Albus to grab a few cookies. He slipped them into a pocket on the inside of his jacket and walked out of the kitchen. James quickly ended his rambling, thanking his mother before hurrying off to find Albus. "Cookie." James said when he found his brother, who was munching on his cookie. Albus handed him a cookie and James smirked as he took a large bite out of it.

"You two are awful." Lily shook her head, looking at her two brothers. "You didn't even get me one?" She pouted and Albus reached into his pocket, pulling out another, his last one, and handed it to her. "Awah, I love you two so much."

"Psh, yeah, and if he hadn't grabbed a third, you'd be telling mom." James told her and she nodded her head, biting into the cookie.

"It's the giving season, James." She replied and skipped off. James and Albus exchanged looks as they finished up their cookies.

Rose and Hugo soon arrived, giving Albus someone else to talk to other than his parents, grandparents, and siblings. He and Rose made their way up the stairs, going to the attic. Things always got hectic on the lowest level of the home so they liked to escape while they could.

"Does Uncle Ron know yet?" Albus asked once the door was shut to the attic. Rose sighed and plopped down on the pile of pillows on the carpeted floor. "I'll take that as a no."

"I told mom and she's fine with it. She likes Scorpius a lot." Rose started, feeling frustrated. She knew she should be honest with her father, but, she didn't want him angry. She liked Scorpius a lot and she didn't want him ruining it. "I invited him over today, but he said his mother's side was coming over for Christmas and he promised his dad not to abandon him there with them."

"Ah, yeah, I can see that." Albus smirked, thinking of how Scorpius and his dad were probably sitting in the corner somewhere, as they didn't always agree well with his mother's side of the family. "I think it's best to be honest, but you handle this as you see fit, Rosie."

"I will, I will. I've got a lot of my mind." She waved it off, not wanting to think about it. "I'll tell him once exams are over." Albus didn't argue against that. He understood how worried she was. He had been scared when he came out to his parents, but they took it so well and were happy Albus decided to tell them something so important. The rest of the family had taken it well too, reliving Albus of a lot of stress. It probably helped that when he told them he was gay, Roxanne told them she was bisexual.

They began to hear shouts outside, meaning the other cousins had arrived and were playing outside. Roxanne was still off on the foreign program, probably having the time of her life. Rose and Albus stayed up in the attic, wanting to avoid the crowded downstairs as long as they could. However, after a while, they grew tired of quizzing each other over school and headed back downstairs.

"I was just about to call for you two." His father said, patting Albus on the shoulder. "Ben and Eleanor are here." James hurried up to them after hearing his best friends' names. With this, Harry went to join his brother in laws and Albus felt excited. Rose smirked and elbowed him, causing Albus to almost stumble.

"Getting pretty rough there, ain't ya my dear Rose?" Ben questioned as he entered the house with Eleanor. His hair was pink under his beanie and his nose was red from the cold. Eleanor shivered beside him, happy to be in the warm house. Her hair was curled and she smiled at them, her cheeks bright red.

"He deserved it." Rose told Ben, who shook his head and pulled off his beanie, running his fingers through his hair.

"There you two are! Welcome welcome, Merry Christmas!" Their grandmother came out of the kitchen, arms opened for hugs. Ben welcomed the hug, wrapping her up in a big bear hug.

"Merry Christmas to you too, ma'am! Thanks for inviting us over again!" Ben exclaimed and Albus had to look away, because god was he cute when he smiled. Once he let her go, Eleanor hugged her, exchanging holiday greetings as well.

"It's no problem, dear, and the more the merrier!" She replied and patted his cheek before returning to the kitchen. "Ronald, no snacking!" They heard her shriek and Rose shook her head in embarrassment. It would be her father sneaking snacks.

* * *

><p>"You aren't joining the snowball fight?" Albus questioned when Ben took a spot next to him on the porch. Almost all of his cousins, plus Eleanor and his siblings, were out playing in the snow. He had opted out of it, as usual.<p>

"Snow isn't my thing." Ben said with a shrug, watching the others play.

"Want to play chess?" Albus offered and Ben nodded his head. Albus smiled and headed inside, Ben following him closely. He led him up to the attic, where the chess board was.

"Snazzy place you got up here." Ben commented after Albus shut the door. The ceiling was painted to look like the sky, Luna's doing, and it had a warm feeling to it. Mostly thanks to all the old pillows and blanket thrown about, making anywhere in the room a comfortable seat.

Albus pulled out the board and sat down and begin to set up the pieces as Ben took a spot on the other side of the board. "Is this your favorite spot?" Ben asked as he watched Albus set up the game.

"Yeah, it's quiet and I don't get bothered much up here. I love my family, but it can be a lot to be surrounded by them all day." Albus admitted once he finished setting it up. He allowed Ben to make the first move. "Plus, I've always liked being alone. It doesn't bother me."

"I feel you." Ben said as Albus took his turn. "Sometimes you need a breather from everything and everyone."

Albus relaxed as they got further into the game. Ben provided idle chit chat that didn't require him to think too much and it felt nice having this alone time with him. It felt different than it did at the school, it felt like they were actually alone.

"You're very good at this." Ben mumbled, looking at his options on the board. "You and my brother would have an all out brawl over this."

"Does he like to play?" Albus asked, pleased he was stumping Ben.

"Yup. He taught me to play and he always kicks my ass. My step mom and him play for hours. He learned from our mother." Ben replied, slowly moving one of his pieces. "She loves to play chess too. I can play it, just not as well as them."

"Your mother didn't teach you?" Albus asked and Ben went quiet, mulling it over.

"No…I was still too young when my parents got divorced. Plus, I lived with my grandmother anyway. My mom….she's a muggle and she didn't know about magic until she had me." He explained, keeping his eyes on the board.

"Hey!" James exclaimed, opening the door. "What are you two doing up here?" He asked with a suspicious look. Eleanor followed behind him, rolling her eyes.

"Potter, are you forgetting that I have a girlfriend?" Ben asked, turning to look at his best friend. "I'm playing chess with Albus. He's kicking my ass."

"Doesn't surprise me." James commented, looking at the game. Albus wanted to punch his brother for ruining the mood. He was finding out more about Ben! "Anyway, grandma says that's it's time for presents, so let's go!" He exclaimed with a smile. Ben got up, as did Albus, leaving their unfinished game to head downstairs.

* * *

><p>Presents at the Weasley household basically meant wrapping paper EVERYWHERE.<p>

Plus bows that were stuck all over James, as that was where Ben liked to place them when someone handed him the bow off their present. He was so amused by the glittery bows all over his best friend, he almost didn't notice Molly hold out a present to him. "For me?" He questioned, looking at the older woman with a surprised expression.

"Of course, dear. One for Eleanor too!" She smiled and handed Eleanor a box as well. "You think I wouldn't get you anything? You two are keeping James out of trouble!"

"More like helping him get into it." Eleanor muttered, looking at Ben. He grinned sheepishly, not denying that fact. "Thank you very much." She nodded her head and began to open it slowly. Ben watched her for a few seconds before beginning to unwrap his.

"Hey now, we don't get into trouble." James argued, the pink bow on his forehead made it difficult for Eleanor to glare at him. She stuck the lime green bow that was on her present onto his mouth, silencing him.

"Great placement skills." Fred chuckled, amused by it.

"Sweater!" Benjamin exclaimed once he unwrapped the present and opened the box. He excitedly pulled out a black knitted sweater with a green 'B' on it. There was a small red dragon on top of the 'B' as well. "There's a dragon on it!"

"What?" Charlie asked, looking to his mother. "How come I never get dragons knitted onto mine?"

"Because you're an adult?" George questioned, getting a hit from his brother for the snarky reply. Ben tugged the sweater over his shirt, a big smile plastered on his face.

"Thank you so much!" He hugged her tightly, making her pleased. "This is so cool! No one's ever made me something like this before!" Eleanor hugged her as well, happy with her purple sweater, a blue 'E' on the front of it.

"Really?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Ben plopped back down in between James and Eleanor, shaking his head.

"My ma, stepmom, doesn't know how to knit or do things like that…she can barely cook." He muttered, thinking of a horrible casserole she made once. "She's taking cooking lessons at the community center but they aren't helping, well, that's what Clara tells me in her letters. My mom learned how to sew and knit a few years ago….but…" He trailed off with a shrug. "This is really cool though. Knitting looks like it would be so much fun."

"I'll have to teach you one day! I bet you would be great at it." She offered and Eleanor rolled her eyes at how excited Ben looked.

"Your grandma is so nice." Ben told James as the lime green bow on his lips fell off.

"I know, right? She's a badass." He murmured, nodding his head as the clean up began. The kids and men ended up being the ones to clean everything up, as many of the women went into the kitchen to finish cooking, they didn't trust the men and kids not to snack.

"One time, we got Marcie and Clara this huge build it yourself castle for the backyard. Their birthdays are close together, so it was sort of like two birds one stone sort of deal. Anyway, it took an hour and four rolls of sparkle fairy wrapping paper to wrap it, only for it to be unwrapped in under two minutes by them. Then I had to put it together." Ben muttered, making the others laugh. "Ma helped while Mitchell 'supervised', which really meant he read the instructions and got mad when we had no clue what he was talking about. He gave up and left it to us and we got it put together after a few hours."

"I bet it's beautiful." Lucy said, humoring Ben.

"Yeah, it is. All the neighbor's kids love to play on it which means every single playdate is at our house." He muttered, rolling his eyes as he wadded up some paper. "If I have to hear about Helen forgetting to bring a snack to another PTA meeting, I'm going to flip the castle."

"Helen needs to get it together." James said seriously, raising the pitch of his voice, trying to sound like a female.

"How hard is it to make lemon squares?" Fred joined in with it, putting a hand on his hip.

"That's not even the worse part!" Ben added, being over dramatic. "Did you hear about that rumor about her and her pool boy? How can she live with herself? She is twice his age!"

"Ben, what are you doing?" Alice questioned, standing in the door way. He turned and looked at her while James and Fred, along with Ron, Harry, and George, laughed.

"Oh, hey babe. We're gossiping about Helen and her affair with the pool boy and how she always forgets to bring snacks to the PTA meetings." He explained and walked over to her, giving her a quick kiss. Neville came in after, shooting Ben a look. "Ah, Merry Christmas….Professor Longbottom…" He trailed off, knowing the man still didn't like him. He nodded to Ben and went over to Harry and Ron and the other adults.

"He's warming up to you." Alice told him, rubbing his shoulder. "What a snazzy sweater you have on. Present from Mrs. Weasley?" She questioned and he nodded, excited to show it to her.

"They're cute together." Lucy said and Albus didn't bother replying. Yeah, they were cute together, and he hated it.

"I didn't know they were dating." Molly told her sister, who nodded her head. "Hm, never would have saw that coming."

"He's a good kid." Harry told Neville, trying to get him to lighten up on Ben.

"Until you place him with your kid." Neville muttered, knowing the pranks the two males pulled together. "It's as if they have causing mischief down to a science."

"James has it in his blood." Ron said, relieved his kids didn't cause nearly as much trouble. "It was unlucky for you that his partner in crime is a metamorphmagus."

* * *

><p>"This sweater is so warm." Ben said outside, watching many of the Weasleys, and a few Potters, play football in the snow. Alice was pressed up next to him, holding onto his arm as they sat on the stairs together. "Matches the green socks Eleanor's parents gave me….they….they still think green is my favorite color."<p>

"Your favorite color doesn't matter. Once you get sorted into a house, that's the color you're stuck with." Teddy told him, shaking his head as he walked down the stairs, ready to join the game. "Which is why all my sweaters are yellow."

"Yellow looks very good on you though." His fiancé, Victorie, said as she followed him down the stairs to go play in the snow. "Any color looks good on you though."

"I think green is fitting for you." Alice told Ben, who pouted. "At least the dragon is red."

"That's the best part." He was happy again, thinking about the little dragon. "Was I supposed to get you something for Christmas? I didn't even get Eleanor anything…"

"No no, don't worry about that." Alice shook her head. "It's not like you have much time, or money, to do Christmas shopping, and we aren't really dating, so do not worry about it." She patted his knee, reassuring him. "Aren't they cute?" She mumbled, looking at Eleanor and James. After almost slipping, Eleanor made the responsible decision not to play any longer. James quickly stopped playing as well and convinced her to build a snowman with him.

"They are. They've really been getting along great." Ben was impressed with how quickly their friendship had grown. She barely complained about him now and actually considered him one of her best friends.

"Have you gotten to talk to your family today?" Alice asked, changing the topic as Eleanor put snow against James' neck, startling him.

"Not yet, still a little too early for me to call." He replied, glancing at his phone to check the time. "I haven't heard much since we got out on break actually…." He trailed off, wondering if he should be worried or not. They could just be busy, but they would set aside plenty of time to talk to him.

"I'm sure they're just busy." Alice said, patting his arm in an attempt to comfort him. He nodded his head as they were called for lunch.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, but I didn't mean it like that." James replied, shooting Eleanor a look when she laughed at him. "Did it sound like I meant it like that?"<p>

"I dunno, you seemed pretty adamant about it, James." Alice told him and he groaned, running his fingers through his hair.

They were all sitting around the table, lunch already done and being cleaned up by the adults. Ben was about to say something when his phone began to ring. "Oh, I guess they decided to call me?" He questioned as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, seeing his brother's name flash on the screen. "Uh, excuse me." He got up and went outside to answer it.

"I'm glad they called." Alice said, her eyes still on the closed front door. "He was worried about it before lunch."

"I'm sure everything is okay. He worries over his siblings a lot." Eleanor sipped her drink after she said this. "You know how much he loves them."

Rose kept her eye on the front door while the others continued on to a different topic.

"What's wrong?" Albus asked, noticing her strained stare.

"I feel like something isn't right." She told him, frowning. "He didn't look happy when he saw who was calling."

"What?" James asked, hearing what his cousin said. "I'm going to check on him real fast." He stood and Albus did too.

"Me too." Albus said when James shot him a confused look. His brother shrugged and both males went to the door. Albus opened it and they saw Ben on the stairs, hunched over, his hair an odd mix of purple and green. Albus shut the door behind himself after James went through it. "Hey, Ben?"

He made a quiet sound and the brothers noticed he was shaking. His hair was turning into a muddy color now, like someone mixed too many colors together.

"Ben." James knew something was wrong and hurried to his friend, crouching down in front of him. Ben had his hands over his face and both could tell he was crying. "Ben what's wrong?"

"I can't." He hiccuped, shaking his head. Albus joined James on the stairs, noticing how Ben's jaw shape was changing.

"Ben, hey, it's okay. It's just us." Albus told him, realizing Ben was trying to keep his fake face on but he was obviously failing and creating more stress for himself.

"Ben you're just putting more strain on yourself, please stop." James encouraged, knowing if he continued he'd pass out. "What happened?"

"I need to go home." He said, muffled behind his hands. "I'll be okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay." He repeated over and over, but began to cry again, the words coming out cracked and quiet.

"Ben, look at us." James told him, trying to pull his hands from the male's face. "Ben it's okay, we've seen your face. You don't have to hide it, you just need to tell us what happened."

Ben shook his head as his hair began to rapidly change colors, meaning Ben was putting more stress on himself. "Ben, stop it." Albus put his hand on Ben's back. He couldn't stand to see Ben in this state and he wanted to help him so desperately.

"I wanna go home I need to go home." He continued, his voice sounding strained and panicked. "I can't. James I can't." His breathing picked up and it started to sound like he couldn't get air into his lungs.

"You don't have to, Ben, you don't have to. We'll get you home." James tried to calm him as Ben pulled his hands from his face, now gripping at James' hand. His eyes were a mix of green and gray and the whites of his eyes were red from crying. His face was his real face, the strong cheekbones and most likely the dimples too. James' hand was turning white at how tightly Ben was gripping it "Good, good, it's goin' be okay." James put his other hand on Ben's back with Al's, patting him gently.

"No it won't." Ben cried and pulled James into a hug, burying his face into his best friend's shoulder. James almost fell, but caught himself and hugged Ben back, running his hands up and down his back in an attempt to sooth him. "I can't." His voice was barely audible and his grip on James loosened.

"Ben?" Albus said, shaking him when Ben's hair settled on his natural light blond suddenly. "He passed out."

"Shit. I knew he was going to over exert himself. Let's get him inside." Albus hurriedly helped James get Ben up the stairs and into the house.

"What happened?!" Eleanor exclaimed when he saw them. She was out of her chair in seconds. "Who…." She looked at them, not understanding what was going on.

"Who is that?" Fred asked, standing from the table.

"This is Ben." James announced and they all stared at him.

* * *

><p>Ben was laying on the couch, the kids in the living room with him and the adults at the table, all waiting for Ben to wake up.<p>

"I didn't realize…." Lucy mumbled, saying what almost everyone else thought as well. "I thought it was his face. Why…?"

"We don't know." Eleanor was sitting next to him, keeping a close eye on him. "Should we call his family?"

"Obviously something they said triggered this." Albus was trying not to look too worried or stressed out, but he was. "He kept saying he wanted to go home."

"We should call them then." Alice said, staring at Ben. She felt so guilty and awful because he showed her his face and she told him it was fake. She had hurt him so badly and didn't realize it, and now he was hurt again and she couldn't help.

Benjamin stirred and they all went quiet and watched him. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly, vision blurry. He slowly sat up, one hand clutching his head.

"Ben?" Eleanor asked quietly, catching his attention. He looked at her, eyes a bright blue. He then looked past her, his eyes scanning the whole room, seeing everyone and realizing where he was.

His first reaction was his hands flying to his face, realizing what he looked like, but he had no energy to do anything about it. "It's okay." James told him, meeting his eyes. "You over worked yourself and passed out."

"Is that why I feel so awful?" He grumbled, lowering his hands slowly, knowing there was no reason to even try to hide his face, they all knew now. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Eleanor spoke up, shaking her head. "Whatever happened to make you panic like that, it wasn't your fault. What happened?"

Ben sighed, his memories all rushing back to him at once. He felt awkward and embarrassed and he wanted to hide from them. He looked at his hands, feeling all of their stares on him, even the adults in the kitchen who were trying to not to say anything and cause him more panic.

"Clara's cancer is back." He said, trying to keep his voice even and steady. "Mitchell told me she's going to be fine and he's going to talk to the Ministry about letting me come home for the rest of the break."

It was quiet again before Eleanor sat on the couch next to him, holding his hands. "I'm so sorry Ben." She murmured, feeling awful. "But Mitchell said she's going to be fine, right?"

"Yeah, but, still." Ben bit his lip, not even sure what to say or what to do. Luckily, his phone began to ring again, so he didn't have to think of what to say next. "Hey." He answered it, his thumb doing circles on Eleanor's hand nervously.

"Amelia and I will be there soon." Mitchell said, his voice a little louder than it was the last time he called. "I'll see you soon." The call was short and Mitchell hung up once Ben confirmed he heard him.

"Will you come with me?" Ben asked Eleanor when he put his phone back in his pocket. She nodded her head immediately, not giving it a second thought.

"Of course I will!" She exclaimed, eyes wide.

* * *

><p>"Thank you so much for inviting us." Ben told Mrs. Weasley, guilty he ruined their Christmas with his family problems. "I'm really sorry."<p>

"There is no need to say sorry, sweetie!" She hugged him tightly, eyes watery. "You go be with your family and your little sister. You call me when you can okay?" She let him go and then hugged Eleanor.

"Call me too, okay?" James told him, hugging him. "It'll be all good. I've never met her, but I know Clara is as stubborn as you are."

"Yeah, you got that right." Ben knew James was trying to cheer him up and he smiled as a thanks and moved to Alice, who kissed his cheek and promised to call him later.

"They're here." Rose announced when she saw Amelia and who she assumed to be Mitchell, apparate on the lawn. Ben and Eleanor bid everyone good bye, Ben patted Albus' shoulder, giving him a small smile, before he left the house with Eleanor, holding her hand tightly.

They watched from the house as Amelia shook her head, probably in response to hearing that Eleanor was going too, but Ben spoke up and Mitchell nodded his head, agreeing to let her come home with them. Albus watched closely as Ben looked back at the house before he disappeared.


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm so very sorry for taking so long to update, and also sorry the last chapter jumped around in POVs a lot!**

**Another sorry for if this chapter is boring but it's basic muggle life and insight to Ben's life outside of Hogwarts so it's a little plain? This one is choppy at some parts and not very magical and I'm very sorry for that, it's why I wanted to write it all in about two chapters so there weren't tons of chapters like this.**

* * *

><p>"I'm going to the hospital to meet Karen and dad, I need you to stay here and watch the kids." Mitchell said in what Eleanor guessed was the study of the house. The floo was located here and she felt a little dizzy while looking at the green patterned walls.<p>

"But-" Ben retorted, but Mitchell cut him off.

"Please, Ben, Grandma has been watching them the past few days. Mom and dad came home this morning for 'santa' but they left a few hours ago." Mitchell explained and Ben nodded his head, making him brother let out a relieved sigh. "I'll go ahead and apparate out, tell grandma to get some rest." With that, he was gone.

Eleanor held her bag close and patted Ben's arm. He wasn't looking any better, but he smiled at her anyway. "Hope you're ready to meet them." He headed to the closed door and opened it.

Three kids were on the couch, eyes glued to a Christmas movie. An old woman was in the rocking chair in the corner with an exhausted expression on her face. She looked up, saw Ben and Eleanor, and smiled, slowly rising from the chair. "Benjamin, Merry Christmas." She greeted and all at once the three kids turned around.

"BENNY!" They all screamed, two boys, one girl, came tumbling towards him. Ben dropped his bag and hugged them all at once, kissing their heads.

"Merry Christmas ya trouble makers. How awful were you for granny?" He questioned and the oldest one, she looked about seven, with brown hair and blue eyes, shook her head.

"Benny, we were perfect for granny. Right Kenny?" She glanced to the five year old next to her with sandy brown hair and green eyes, and he nodded his head, while the youngest shook his head.

"Ah, Greg here is telling me otherwise." Ben lifted up the small blonde boy, Greg, and held him as their grandmother patted his shoulder. "Hey Gran, I can take over, so head home."

"Are you sure?" She asked, and Eleanor smiled at kids, who stared at her. "Thank you, Ben. This is Eleanor, right? It's lovely to meet you dear, though the circumstances aren't ideal." She shook Eleanor's hand, her gray and golden blonde hair was in a loose braid and her eyes were similar to Ben's. "I'll be back over tomorrow." She headed into the study to use the floo to head home.

"Benny, Benny, wanna see want santa got us?!" Kenny asked and Ben nodded his head. He sent Greg down and the three ran upstairs to get their new toys. Ben looked to Eleanor, a small smile on his face.

"The oldest is Marcie, then Kenneth, we call him Kenny, and then Greg. They can be a handful, obviously." Ben explained, hoping Eleanor didn't regret coming home with him.

"Good thing I'm here then, right?" She replied and Ben pulled her into a side hug.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay with sharing a bed?" Ben asked when he led her up the first flight of stairs. The kids were watching more movies and Marcie was keeping an eye out so Ben and Eleanor could take their things upstairs.<p>

"Long as you don't kick." Eleanor replied and Ben smirked as they started up a smaller set of stairs.

"Princess, I believe you would be the kicker." He chuckled and opened the door to his room, letting her in first.

His room was obviously the attic before they renovated it. He had a small bathroom to the side and the room was a nice size. He had a desk, a few bookshelves, tons of art supplies lying around, and his bed on the far end. She set her bag down and went to sit on the bed, sighing.

"Yeah, I know, but, someone has got to watch them. I feel bad that gran had to do it, but Mitchell isn't good with all three and my parents need to be with Clara." Ben said, coming to sit next to her. "Just sucks, gran already raised my dad, then had to raise me, I don't want her getting stuck raising those kids too. At least I'm here for the summers."

"I'm sure she loves those kids too much to care about that." Eleanor said in hopes to comfort him. "Those are her grandkids, she gets to spoil them rotten."

"Makes it harder for me." Ben leaned on Eleanor, tired. "Thank you for coming, Ellie." He wanted to sleep, but with the three children downstairs, he couldn't.

"Ben, it's no problem. You're always there for me, so I'm going to be there for you. I'm not the greatest with children but I will try my best." She was a little frightened, she didn't want the kids to hate her. She was also worried for Ben's sake, he had already had such a long day and now he was having an even longer day due to the five hour difference from England to America.

"You'll be perfect. If Mitchell can keep them alive, you'll do amazingly. They don't know about Clara's cancer, though. They just know she's sick and that ma and dad are with her and that it'll be a while before she comes back home. Mitchell will probably keep staying with gran, he needs a break too." He continued, sighing deeply. "Guess I should go start their lunch, you can freshen up or I guess call your family while I work on it." He stood up and Eleanor did too.

"I'll call them in a little bit, let me help with lunch." She offered and he shot her a thankful smile.

* * *

><p>"Do they know of magic?" Eleanor whispered as she and Ben cleaned up the kitchen, which had been a wreck before and after lunch. The whole house seemed to be in slight disarray to Eleanor, but she kept reminding herself that it was just her parents living at her house for a majority of the year, this house had at least six people in it at all times, four of them being children.<p>

"Yeah." Ben nodded his head, wiping down a counter. "They know a little. It's a balancing act with them, since we still live in the muggle world. My dad wants to move into the magic world, but right now, it's easier to keep it like this. We have to make sure they don't spill the beans, but I'm pretty sure my dad created a nice charm to prevent that from happening." He finished the counter, glancing over to the living room where the kids were.

"Your dad is talented with charms. I can't believe this whole house isn't set up with magic." Eleanor didn't mind that it wasn't, but she expected at least a little.

"We do a majority of the things the muggle way, which is so mundane but it is what it is. My gran's house is tons of fun, it was a great place to grow up." He leaned against the counter he just finished cleaning, then yawned. "I'd do a few tricks, but I'm too exhausted mentally to even change my hair color. I was hoping Mitchell would have, you know, tried to clean up the place. Ma and dad are way too busy right now to even think about it, and it's not gran's job to do it."

"Then we'll just tidy up then!" Eleanor exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "Someone's gotta do it and we always do things best, don't we?" Ben cracked a smile and chuckled, nodding his head.

"Righto, princess. Glad you've got some energy, you'll need it. Today is an easy day for them since we always watch Christmas movies all day, but tomorrow starts cleanup for decorations and back to normal routine for when they're outta school." Ben liked Eleanor's enthusiasm, but she needed more than that to make it through this, and he did too.

* * *

><p>"Hey, now, no fighting." Eleanor chided Kenny and Greg, who were fighting over a power rangers toy. She had no clue who it belonged to and at this point she didn't care. She had just finished dusting the living room and study, which had taken hours, so her eyes were a bit watery and her nose runny, and she didn't want to deal with screaming kids. If it was possible, she was feeling jet lagged.<p>

The front door opened and she heard people enter. "Hello?" A woman called and the kids stopped playing and all hurried out of the living room, screaming 'momma' over and over again, and then 'daddy'. "Hello there my angels! I'm sorry we were gone for today."

Benjamin was upstairs, so Eleanor wasn't sure if she should go out to the foyer to see who it was, she was guessing it was his parents. She would rather have Ben here to introduce her, but it was going to be awkward if they walked by the living room and saw a strange girl standing there. Eleanor took a deep breath and ventured out of the living room, where they all were. "Uhm, hello." She started, catching there attention.

"Hello, you must be Eleanor." The women said and Eleanor nodded her head. She had short brown hair and a round face with green eyes that were tired, yet she still smiled. She stepped past her kids and shook Eleanor's hand, her hands were soft and gentle on Eleanor's. "It's so great to finally get to meet the 'princess'." She laughed and Eleanor heard a thump upstairs, most likely from Ben. "I'm Karen, thank you for coming with Ben."

"It's nice to meet you too, ma'am. It's not a problem, I'm glad he asked me to join him." Was she suppose to say sorry about Clara? She probably shouldn't with the kids standing there. Ben's father stepped forward after ushering the kids to head back into the living room.

"Hello, I'm Daniel." His grip on her hand was firmer, but it wasn't rough. Ben came bounding down the stairs at this point, hair disheveled and his cheeks were red. "Merry Christmas, Ben." His dad moved to hug him and Ben hugged him back tightly, then moved on to Karen to hug her.

Eleanor could definitely see the resemblance between Ben and his father as they stood next to each other. They both had blonde hair, though Ben's was a lighter shade, while his dad's was a tad darker. They both had blue eyes and strong cheekbones, but Eleanor guessed it was his mother's genes that made Benjamin have the dimples and the wideness of his eyes.

"We'll talk more once the kids get to bed." His dad patted his back, knowing Ben was eager to hear about how Clara was doing. "Let's start dinner and bathes."

"I got it, you two go relax." Ben told them, shaking his head to Karen's protest. "I'm here so use me, okay? Besides I got dinner started already and you two had a long day, go relax." He pushed them towards the stairs and after more protesting from both sides, they gave in and went upstairs. "I think they forget I do this all summer long too."

"Don't push yourself." Eleanor was more worried now, Ben was clearly exhausted, mentally and physically.

"I've been through worse, exercising with you is torture." He joked, and she elbowed him. "Don't hurt me, princess. Who will be your loyal dragon if I'm injured? I know James is a good candidate, but I'm thinking he'd rather play the knight." After saying this, Eleanor looked away, embarrassed. Ben laughed, pulling her into a side hug. "Oh princess, you know I love you, don't you?"

"I love you too, you idiot, so that's why I'm worrying." She sighed, looking at him with a serious expression. "I'm here, so use me, okay?" She repeated what he had said a few minutes ago, looking him in the eyes. It felt so weird to be staring at this face she hadn't known until today. She knew it was Ben, but the face was still throwing her off a little. Ben ruffled her hair, keeping the smile on his face.

"And I'm telling you not to worry, got it? This is easy! Dinner is baking and three kids need a bath." He looked to the living room, biting his lip. "Marcie can shower on her own, Kenny and Greg can bath together, and dinner will be done in forty five minutes." He seemed to be thinking of a game plan, the wheels in his head turning, though Eleanor knew the wheels were running out of steam, fast. "Marcie, go take your shower."

"Five minutes!" She protested and he groaned and shook his head.

"Let's just do the boys first, girls are complicated."

* * *

><p>Eleanor was sure girls were not this complicated as Ben was splashed in the face with water. Eleanor was kneeled next to him, washing off Greg's back while Ben wiped off his face. "Kenny, you want a spanking?" Ben threatened, and the boy shook his head. "I told you no splashing princess or I."<p>

"I didn't splash you." Kenny replied and Ben furrowed his brows.

"Kenneth you literally just splashed me in the face thirty seconds ago." Ben leaned against the tub and cupped one hand over Kenny's eyes, then used the other to pour a small cup of water over his head, washing out the shampoo that was in the boy's hair. "I don't know where you get the obvious lying from."

"Clara!" Greg exclaimed, making Eleanor smile with how lovingly the boy said his sibling's name. Ben looked at the boy, shaking his head, then went back to washing off Kenny.

"Greg, dude, Clara is better at it than Kenny and Marcie, combined. Not that's it's a good thing, don't go telling ma and dad I said it was good to lie." Benjamin corrected himself, feeling the effects of working himself too hard. His thoughts were starting to jumble up.

"I wonder where she learned it from?" Eleanor questioned with a suspicious look at Ben. He shrugged, hiding his smirk as he opened the drain and let the water out.

"Princess, I have no idea where she could learn how to be so sneaky and sly from, maybe it was Mitchell?" He pulled down the shower head and rinsed the boys off a final time as Eleanor grabbed their towels. Once he was done Eleanor dried off Greg and Ben helped Kenny dry off. "Okay, you two, let's get dressed and then you can go back to watching tv and playing." This made them eager and they were easy to dress, thankfully, and were back in front of the tv again shortly. "Marcie." Ben said, leaning against the entryway of the living room. She looked back to him, pouting, but he shook his head.

"No fair." She whined, getting up and going upstairs to shower.

"I know I'm no fun when I'm being responsible." Ben replied and he and Eleanor went into the kitchen. She sat down at one of the bar stools, hands wrinkly from the water. "When Clara's here it's either better, or worse. They usually have more to do during the summer, I swear they don't sit in front of the tv all day." Ben told her, getting out things to make a salad. "They have camp and summer classes at the community center, which I need to pick out classes for them or they'll all try to take the damn recorder class again and I'm sick of those annoying plastic instruments."

Eleanor laughed at his expression, amused.

"Princess, they're so annoying but they love them. I'm getting on the website later and scheduling it all out myself. Maybe I'll send them to camp one week and you and James, maybe Albus or Alice, could come visit?" He questioned and Eleanor nodded her head.

"I'd love to come visit again, and I know James would love to meet your siblings. They'd loved him, and I bet they'd love Albus and Alice too." Eleanor told him, grabbing a little carrot and eating it. "Your parents know I'm not your girlfriend, right? That'll be awkward for when Alice visits."

"Uh, haha, yeah, they know you're just my best friend. Actually, they don't know about Alice and I." Ben wasn't sure if he should tell her the truth, or if now was a bad time. "I don't want them hounding me about it and what she's like and yada yada. You get what I mean?" He questioned and thankfully she nodded her head.

"Why can't Karen just schedule the classes and camp?" Eleanor asked, surprised at how much of a parent Ben acted like. She hadn't expected him to launch into caretaker mode so quickly, but there was a lot of things she was learning about Ben and still didn't know.

"Because I'm their babysitter during the summer, and I'm the one that takes them to the classes, so I like to schedule them on certain days at certain times." He started, finishing the salad and putting it in the fridge. He checked on the dish in the oven, then started to clean up the mess from the salad. "It makes it easier on me, plus, ma and dad are really busy. Since I'm here during the summer, they hone in on work so they'll be able to take it easier during the school year. They'll stay later, or go in earlier, sometimes work the weekends. The kids don't mind it because I'm here, and I don't mind it because I like taking care of them. I like to look out for people and it's not like I have friends here I want to spend my summers with." He explained, shrugging. "Is that weird?"

"No." Eleanor shook her head, understanding better now that he explained it. "I think it's rather sweet. You're a great brother, Benjamin."

* * *

><p>Eleanor did a majority of the cleaning after dinner while Karen and Daniel tucked the kids in. Ben protested against Eleanor cleaning, but one stern glare had him sitting on the bar stool, watching her put the dishes away and wiping off the counters.<p>

"Ben, seriously, you don't need to push yourself anymore." She argued, not understanding why he kept wanting to do something when he needed to relax. He opened his mouth to reply, but Karen and Daniel returned downstairs, and he closed his mouth.

"Eleanor, thank you for cleaning up, it was very sweet of you." Karen said, smiling at Eleanor again. "You have a wonderful friend, Benjamin."

"Oh yeah, princess is number one, that's why I keep her around." He smirked and was hit with the dish towel by Eleanor. "Alright alright, she's the one that keeps me around, I'm extremely lucky."

"You are, so treat her properly." His dad added and Ben nodded his head. "Now, Clara is doing well. Her surgery is schedule for tomorrow afternoon, so if you want to visit her tomorrow morning, you can. Gran and Mitchell will be here tomorrow babysitting. The doctors are positive it won't come back after this surgery is done. I know they were positive a few years ago, but Mitchell looked into it as well and he believes them, so we're going on that."

"We didn't tell her you came home, we figured it'd be a nice late Christmas present to her." Karen added, softly ruffling Ben's hair in an affectionate manner. "You'll be heading back to school soon, won't you?"

"The break ends two days after New Years." Eleanor told them, wondering if she should be present for this conversation.

"Good, you should head back before New Years so you can celebrate it with your friends." Karen continued and Ben made an attempt to protest, but she shook her head. "Ben, you've been here barely a day and you've already done so much. Once Clara has her surgery, she'll be okay and you can go back to England. We've already taken your Christmas away, I don't want your New Years taken away either."

"You didn't take it away." Ben argued, looking at the two adults. "I got to come home and see all of you, it's not like you forced me back, I wanted to come back."

"We know, but you don't need to have this sort of pressure on you. You've got enough pressure from school and your breaks should be spent having fun." Karen seemed to be the one doing most of the talking, but Eleanor guessed it was because her voice was very gentle and not accusing or commanding.

"It's not any pressure, it's what I always do." Ben was starting to get frustrated and Eleanor blamed his lack of energy.

"Benjamin, listen to us." His dad spoke, his voice firm, as if he knew he would get the final word here. "You and Eleanor have both done more than enough in barely a day, like Karen said. We appreciate the help, but we have gran, Mitchell, and Karen's parents to help watch the kids once you go back. None of them will be as great as you are, but that's fine. You need to get back to your friends and have some fun."

Ben didn't argue and nodded his head. Karen kissed his head and he and Eleanor headed upstairs to his room.

"They're right." Eleanor started once the door was shut behind them. "You've been nonstop today, cleaning, cooking, bathing, entertaining. You've helped them out more than you realize. You should really take it easy."

"I had to be nonstop. I didn't want to think about it." Ben admitted, kicking off his shoes and sitting down on his bed. Eleanor moved to sit beside him slowly, wanting him to continue. "I need to distract myself. I don't want to think about seeing Clara or her surgery or how everyone looked at me earlier today. I kept myself busy and focused on other tasks, it's what I do."

Eleanor put her arm around him, knowing he needed to be comforted. "Clara will be happy to see you tomorrow and she'll be happy to see you once her surgery is done, and it'll all go great, so don't fret over it. We all looked at you like that today because we were so worried. I will admit, we were all stunned, besides James and Albus, to see your face, but we were more focused on whether or not you were okay." Ben looked away and she moved her arm from around him and cupped his cheeks with her hands, making him look at her. "Benjamin, I'm telling you the truth." She looked at his face and it didn't feel as unknown and new as it did a few hours ago. "Your health is far more important than your face. Now, go shower and relax. It's late, but I'm going to call James, I know he's dying to know how we are. Go." She patted his cheek softly.

"Thanks." Ben pulled her into a tight hug, his face buried against her shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without ya, princess."

"You'd do a hell of a lot worse, but that's not the point. Go shower." She ordered and he let her go and grabbed spare clothes before going into his bathroom.

Eleanor changed into her pjs, deciding to shower in the morning, and pulled out her phone, dialing James' number as she pulled down the covers on Ben's bed and settled into it.

"Eleanor!" James' exclaimed, voice loud in her ear. She was surprised he had actually answered, but he probably hadn't been able to sleep without knowing how his friends were. "What took you so long to call? How is everything? Hey, Al, it's Eleanor. Let me put you on speaker." She heard another voice, Albus, and shuffling.

"Sorry but I've been busy since we go here. Ben and I had to clean up and take care of his siblings." Eleanor began, listening to Ben start the shower. "It's all good. Ben seriously over worked himself today though. The second he got here it was go go go."

"Is he okay now?" Albus asked and she could detect the worry in his voice.

"He's showering now, so I think he's okay. He was trying to distract himself from all the things he was worrying about, but we talked about it and I think he's going to try and take it easy while we're here." She answered, plugging her phone up to its charger, since a lot of it's battery had been used to call her parents earlier. "I admit I'm a bit knackered out too. Doing all the things Ben does on a daily basis around here is like three hours of Quidditch practice in a row. There's always a mess or a kid screaming it seems."

"Hehe, you not cut out for it?" James questioned and Eleanor rolled her eyes.

"If you must know, I did very well. Ben told me so himself. Besides, I'm the youngest, I never had siblings to look after." She declared, taking another look around the room. "He talked about us coming to visit this summer, so you'll get to help him babysit and see what I'm talking about, plus, Clara will be back home so it'll be another child to look after her."

"Did you get to see Clara today?" Albus asked and James agreed, both wanting to hear about her.

"We're going to see Clara tomorrow before her surgery, and most likely we'll see her after her surgery. I think we'll spend the whole day at the hospital tomorrow. We will be home before New Years." She added.

"Ben's okay with leaving so soon?" James sounded unsure. "He didn't get to decide that, did he?"

"No, afraid not. His parents want him to spend New Years with his friends. I think tomorrow I'll call mom and ask if I can have a party at our house, I think it'd be fun and it'd make him feel better." She thought it was a great idea. "I agree with his parents, he needs to relax on his breaks, not worry about his family. They've got a great support system here."

"He'll still worry." Albus told her. "But they are right."

"A party would be great! It'll really cheer him up." James added right after, sounding positive as always. "Just make sure he takes care of himself, Ellie. You know how he just powers through everything without taking himself into account."

"I've been watching him, no need for either of you to worry." She said confidently as Ben came out of the bathroom in his boxers, hair flopped over in his face. He brushed it back, trotting over to the bed. "He just got out of the shower, do you want to speak to him?" She asked as she unhooked her phone from its charger.

"YES!" James shouted and she glared at the phone before tossing it to Ben as he sat down.

"Hello?" Ben questioned, puzzled, before his face lit up. "James!"

"You two spoke earlier today, do you not remember?" Eleanor asked but Ben still spoke to him like it had been a whole summer since they last spoke.

"Allllll, you're still there, right? James stop talking I want to talk to Albus too." Ben argued and Eleanor reached into her bag she placed by the bed and pulled out her book to read. Even as she focused on the words, she could hear James and Albus on the phone. She furrowed her brows, wondering why Albus was being so quiet. Naturally he was more of a reserved, introverted boy, especially when placed next to James, who was extroverted, but even so he was quieter than usual, and when he spoke he sounded nervous.

Plus, why hadn't Ben mentioned Alice much at all? She was his girlfriend, after all, shouldn't he want to speak to her as soon as he could? It was far too late to call her now, James had ungodly sleeping hours so it was fine for him, but Eleanor would have to remember to call her in the morning.


	29. Chapter 29

**I'm so sorry about the wait for an update. My laptop screen busted and it was impossible to do anything with it. Luckily I was able to get it repaired (my cousin is my hero atm) and now I am back! Hopefully this all makes sense because I legit spent hours planning Ben's family issues and I assumed the American Ministry of Magic might do things a little different and might have different rules to things? (Honestly I'm just winging it you know how Americans are)**

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><p>Eleanor ate her muffin at the kitchen table, feeling awkward. The kids were still sleeping and Ben was upstairs, on the phone with Alice after he made breakfast, blueberry muffins.<p>

Mitchell was drinking his coffee at the other end of the table, their grandmother was reading the newspaper next to them. Eleanor wasn't sure how to even start a conversation with them, so she picked at her muffin, wishing Ben would hurry up and come downstairs. They were supposed to be heading to the hospital soon to visit Clara.

"So Eleanor, Ben has told me so much about you." Their grandmother started and Eleanor almost dropped her muffin. "All good things, I promise. I've been wanting to meet you since the first letter he mentioned you in. I'm very glad he's found a wonderful friend."

"Oh, yeah, Ben is the greatest. I'm nothing special, really!" She exclaimed, getting flustered. She didn't understand why she was so nervous with them, but she wanted them to like her.

"Don't be humble dear, Ben's told us how smart you are and how great at Quidditch you are." She continued.

"I mean, yeah, I am, but I think Ben's the wonderful one out of the two of us." She admitted, wondering how much longer Ben was going to be. "I'm just glad he's my friend. He's extremely talented and kind hearted and he makes me strive to do better. I think he makes all of us strive to do better." She was rambling now. "I wish I had half the talent he did."

"I'm sure you have just as much talent as he does." The old women said, smiling at her. "If you're anything like he told us, you'll be the next Quidditch star, and you're extremely beautiful as well."

"O-Oh, uhm-" Eleanor fumbled, blushing at the compliment.

"Don't deny it, princess, gran is right." Ben said as he trotted down the stairs, fully dressed. "You're the prettiest princess in all the lands." Eleanor got up to put her dish away and rolled her eyes at Ben, pleased to see that his hair was a light pink, meaning he was feeling better. "We're goin' shove off to the hospital, make sure they don't sleep past noon."

"I know how to take care of kids, Benjamin. I did raise you and your father." His grandmother replied and Mitchell coughed, catching their attention.

"And look how they turned out." He said, sipping his coffee. He earned a glare from his grandmother and she shook her head. "We'll make sure they don't sleep all day. The keys for the car are hanging up in the foyer."

"I can just apparate. I don't like driving when it's icy out anyway." Ben shrugged and Mitchell shot him a look. "I can do it! Relax!" He rolled his eyes at his older brother as he and Eleanor grabbed their coats from the hall closet and put them on. "Ready to go, Princess?"

"If you are."

* * *

><p>They landed on the side of the hospital, where no one would see them. Ben held onto Eleanor's hand, for support and to make sure they weren't separated as they headed into the busy lobby. Ben bypassed the first desk and went to the elevator, knowing what floor he needed to go to. Eleanor remembered that it wasn't his first time making a visit like this one.<p>

"It'll be alright." Eleanor told him as the elevator dinged and they stepped out into another smaller lobby. "She'll love that pink hair of yours."

"That's why I picked this color." He replied with a small smile, his dimples that Eleanor didn't know he had, showing slightly. He approached the desk where a middle aged woman was sitting, her brown hair tied up in a braid. She looked up at them with her light green eyes and pushed her glasses up further on her nose.

"Benjamin!" She exclaimed and stood and Eleanor saw how Benjamin's face lit up at this. "Your mother and Daniel are in the room already." Benjamin's face dropped, but he hid his disappointment behind a polite smile. "The doctors are very optimistic about Clara." She came around the desk with a smile and Eleanor couldn't help but find the woman familiar, and why did she call Karen Ben's mother? She continued to discuss the procedures and stopped at a door, knocking once, before opening it for Ben and Eleanor. "Don't get her too worked up, now." She smiled again and left, heading back to the desk.

"We'll be back before you go in for surgery, okay sweetheart?" Karen said, and Eleanor saw her disappear behind the curtain, probably giving Clara a kiss. "We'll leave you with the Christmas surprise we told you about."

"What is it?" Clara asked and Eleanor found her voice absolutely adorable. She wanted to see her, but they were still in the doorway, and the curtain was blocking the bed.

"Something you'll love." His father answered and he and Karen walked over to Ben and Eleanor, nodding at them. "We're running home for a little bit, we'll be back soon." Ben nodded at him and the adults left.

"Whose there?" Clara asked as the door shut.

"Who do you think?" Ben questioned, walking over so he would be in her view. Eleanor followed a little behind him, not able to hold back her smile as Clara squealed in delight.

"Benny!" She exclaimed, trying to get out of the bed to hug him. Eleanor looked at the young girl with short dirty blonde hair as Ben went to her side and hugged her tightly, then gave her tons of kisses all around her face. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, you know a dragon hates being away from his princess." His smile was so wide, it melted Eleanor's heart. She knew Ben loved Clara from how he spoke about her, but watching them interact made it more real. "And I also brought home another princess." Ben said, directing Clara's attention to Eleanor, her brown doe-like eyes looking right at her. "This is my best friend, Eleanor." Clara's eyes grew wide and she gasped, staring at Eleanor.

"Benny! She's so pretty!" Clara exclaimed and Eleanor blushed at the compliment. "I'm Clara! It's so nice to meet you, Benny never stops talking about you."

"It's lovely to meet you as well, Clara. Rest assured, Benjamin here never stops talking about you either." Eleanor replied, making Clara smile. Ben sat on the edge of the bed and Eleanor took the spot on the chair in the room as Clara launched into her stories about school and how boring it all was.

"I wanna be a witch." She mumbled, looking at Eleanor and Ben. "I wanna be like you guys."

"Being a muggle is just as amazing, you know." Ben ruffled her hair, smiling down at her. "You might be a witch, just wait for your next birthday. Maybe you could go to Hogwarts if you get your letter?"

"You think mom and dad would let me go!?" She asked with bright eyes at the possibility. "I know I'll be a witch, I feel the magic in me!"

"I don't see why not, besides, I'm the headmistress' favorite student, I could get you in." He winked at Eleanor, who chuckled at this. She couldn't argue, McGonagall did favor Benjamin. "Don't get too worked up now, you still have an entire year."

"I know, I know." She mumbled, crossing her arms.

* * *

><p>"You really got to go?" Clara asked with a pout when their parents returned, just in time for her surgery.<p>

"Unfortunately, princess. I've got to get back to England soon, but I'll visit you again before I leave, I promise." He hugged her tightly and kissed her again, then went to Eleanor side and they left the room together. "Isn't she precious?"

"She really is." Eleanor adored Clara and she had only spent two hours with her. She was stubborn and bold, but very polite and charming. She was just like Benjamin. Eleanor's mind shifted to the nurse working the desk that had helped them earlier. She had thoughts about her in the back of her mind the past couple of hours, but she didn't want to mention it to Clara and she wasn't sure how to bring it up to Benjamin.

"That wasn't long of a visit." The nurse said as they passed by the desk.

"Ah, well, we got to get back home to the other kids, you know how Mitchell is with kids." He joked but Eleanor saw how his hair was slightly darker than before. It was starting to get a blue tint to it. No one else would have noticed the change, but she did.

"So, is this your girlfriend?" She asked with a smirk, wiggling her eyebrows. Ben shook his head nervously, not very eager to introduce Eleanor to this nurse.

"Uh, no. This is Eleanor, my best friend from boarding school. Eleanor, uh, this is Mitchell's mom, Darleen." He stated and Darleen reached out her hand to shake Eleanor's hand. Eleanor responded with a handshake immediately, but she was in shock. Mitchell's mother? That made no sense! She looked at Ben and he made it a point not to look at her. "We've got to go, make sure Clara is taken care of." He said goodbye quickly and hurried to the elevator, Eleanor right behind him.

"Benjamin-" She started but Ben shook his head, hair starting to turn blue.

"Can we not talk about this here?" He interrupted her as the elevator dinged, meaning they were on the ground floor once more. Eleanor nodded her head and took Ben's hand in her's, letting him pull them out of the building and to the side so that he could apparate them back home.

* * *

><p>They landed in his room and Eleanor wanted to give him space and let him have time to think about what he wanted to tell her, but she needed to know. Now.<p>

"Ben, what?" She was at loss for words. "Aren't you and Mitchell full siblings?"

"Yeah, yeah we are." He sat on his bed, sighing.

"That would make Darleen-"

"My mother." He finished the sentence for her, looking up at her. "Yeah, that was my mom."

"Then why did she-what's going on?" Eleanor couldn't understand what just happened. His mother acted like Ben wasn't her child.

"My mother didn't know about magic until I came along, and that caused some problems between my dad and her. Obviously, I had to go live with my grandma because you can't have a baby that changes its looks in the muggle world. She had to lie to her family and say I was sickly and that the air where my grandmother lived was much better for me. This caused a lot of problems too. We saw each other every day when her work schedule allowed it, but it wasn't the same. By the time I got a good grip on my ability, Mitchell had gotten his letter and was a wizard, and the divorce was already underway and I wanted to stay with my grandma to avoid it." He explained and Eleanor sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry Ben." She mumbled, patting his hand.

"Thanks. It was just a mess, because you know, you can't have a muggle running around knowing about us. My dad is really talented when it comes to charms and that matter, so away went her magical memories….including me." He looked at the carpet in his room, not wanting to meet Eleanor's eyes. "He told everyone she fell down the stairs, altered the doctors' minds and made up false documents to back it up, memory loss can happen with head injuries. He tried to change her magic filled memories, make it so she could remember me as the sickly child her family thought I was, but, it didn't work like he wanted it to, I changed my look too much. Some days she remembers me like that, sickly but doing better, and it's really nice to have her address me as her son, but almost always she addresses me as Karen's son from a previous marriage." He finished and he heard Eleanor sniff. "Oh, Princess." He said when he looked up and saw her teary eyes. "Please don't cry."

"Benny, that's terrible!" She whined, holding onto him tightly. "I'm so sorry that happened to you! You don't deserve it." She knew she shouldn't be the one crying, but the fact that Ben's mom couldn't remember him broke her heart. Ben hugged her back, putting his head on her shoulder. "Ben I promise I will never forget you no matter what! Even if someone tries to mess with my memories, there is no way I could ever forget a lad like you!"

"Thank you, Eleanor. It was hard at first and the kids at my school always talked about it and picked on me for it, told me it was my fault that they got a divorce and that she couldn't remember me since I could never settle on a face to wear." He mumbled. "That's why I was so hellbent on going somewhere no one knew me and I could have a fresh start. I suppose I should've told you sooner, James and Alice and the others too."

"Bailey knew, didn't she?"

"Ah, yeah, Bailey knows everything. She was one of the only ones I liked back at the old school. She was a bookworm and always had more books to read than she could manage, along with whatever instrument she was learning how to play, I swear she can play an entire orchestra of instruments." He chuckled, feeling better. "She kept it on the down low, she knows how I feel about it. She's a great friend to have. All of you are."

"Hey, if you don't want to talk to us about your personal business, that's okay. I want to know everything, all of us do, but it's your business. You tell us when you are ready." Eleanor told him, pulling away so he could see how serious he was. "And thank you for telling me this. Sorry I'm crying." She wiped her eyes and Ben pulled her in for a hug this time, patting her back. "You should be crying and I should be comforting you!"

"Ah, princess, this is alright. Thank you again for being here, and thank you for caring so much."


	30. Chapter 30

**I don't care McGonagall is going to still be the transfiguration professor for a little while longer. Thank you so much for being patient and for the kind reviews! I truly appreciate it! And Al will be brought in a lot more but I gotta progress it slowly**

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><p>Benjamin was slammed with a pillow and he stumbled, caught off guard. "Princess!" He exclaimed, looking at Eleanor with wide eyes of betrayal.<p>

"You were zoned out." She replied, throwing the pillow back on the couch. They were straightening up her attic room for their New Years party. "Will you be okay for this?"

"Of course!" He replied eagerly, hair a bright blue and face his usual fake one, excited to see their friends. Clara's surgery had gone perfectly and she was supposed to be out of the hospital by tomorrow. "Just don't throw pillows with James around. He'll slam one into the tv, and then we won't be able to watch the fireworks show."

"The last thing I need is James making a mess!"

"Someone called for me?" James poked his head through the door, his smirk plastered on his face. "Ben! I'm happy to see you're back!" He hurried over to the blond and hugged him, while footsteps were heard coming up the steps. James didn't make a comment about Ben _not_ showing his true face, and he hoped no one else would either.

Eleanor figured it was probably because, while Ben looked like his father, he looked so much like his mother, especially when he smiled, and it was most likely hard on him to look so much like her when she couldn't even remember him.

"We brought brownies." Rose said as her greeting, Scorpius and Albus right behind her.

"There's the trio!" Ben piped up, going over to greet them.

Albus felt his cheeks get red as Ben hugged him and he quickly hugged him back, happy to see him like his old self again. "How are you? Is Clara doing well?" He asked and Ben nodded his head.

"Ya, she's a tough one and she should be back home tomorrow." His eyes were bright green with specks of blue, somewhat matching his blue hair. Albus couldn't stop smiling at him, even when Rose elbowed him and Scorpius chuckled.

* * *

><p>The others arrived soon after and the attic got noisy and crowded quickly, but no one seemed to care as they all enjoyed being around everyone, even in a tight space.<p>

"I'm just saying-" Fred started but was interrupted by Hugo, who had to interject with his thought on the prank.

"That will never work." Rose told her brother, shaking her head and Molly laughed at how it took so many Weasleys to come on with one solid prank.

"We should just do it!" James exclaimed and Ben shook his head.

"Potter, we can't just go rushing in, your map and my abilities can't get us out of trouble if we go head first."

"I hope we're talking about qudditch." Eleanor said as she came up to the group, making it disperse.

"We can if you want." James was just as excited about this topic as he was with the last, making Ben groan. He didn't want to listen to the two discuss qudditch, lucky for him a soft hand rested on his shoulder, grabbing his attention.

"Oh, hey Alice." He greeted his 'girlfriend' and kissed her cheek. "What's up?"

"Can I talk to you?" She questioned quietly and he nodded his head. The two left the attic and went to his room, ignoring some cheers from the others. Ben shut the door to his room as Alice sat on the bed, next to Fury, who was stretched out like the spoiled cat he was.

"Something wrong?" He asked, curious and a tad worried about the girl had to say.

"I told my father." She said after a few moments and Ben furrowed his brows, hoping the outcome of her actions weren't negative.

"How did he take it?" Ben asked, coming over to where she was. "Please tell me he took it well."

"Actually, yes." Alice answered with a small smile. "He kept pressing about how you were doing and your family after you left, and he thought it was strange you didn't ask me to come home with you, so I finally decided to come clean. One, he was quite relieved that I wasn't actually dating you, he says you cause too much trouble, guess he doesn't realizes I make sure the pranks are do able." She chuckled as Ben pouted at her. "Two, he told me that I'm his daughter, he loves me no matter what. I want to thank you, truly, Ben. I don't know what I would've done without your help."

"No problem! That's what I'm here for." He smiled, extremely happy for her. He knew her father wouldn't have a problem with her sexuality, but coming out was scary and he was glad Alice confined in him about it. "So my boyfriend services are no longer needed?" He questioned and she nodded her head. "Ah, darn, I was getting the hang of it to!" He snapped his fingers and laughed, pulling her in for another hug.

"You were a wonderful boyfriend. Alright, so, what shall we do about the others?" Alice questioned, wondering how they would go about telling the others about this. Should they tell them it was all fake or tell them that they broke up? "I still haven't told anyone about me being bisexual just yet."

"I've got this covered my dear Alice, no need to worry your beautiful head over it." Ben grinned, making Alice wonder what he was up to.

* * *

><p>"Almost time!" Rose exclaimed as they all watched the tv, ready for the count down to greet the New Year. Scorpius was next to her, just as excited for the count down as his girlfriend was.<p>

"You just wanna kiss your boyfriend." Molly teased her cousin, ruffling her hair before throwing her arm over her sister's shoulder. Lucy eyed her sister, as if to tell her not to tease Rose. "Oh lucy loo, don't get mad because you don't have someone to snog. Neither do I!"

"I didn't know you could play instruments." Eleanor said to Bailey as James stood next to Ben, watching them talk.

"Oh? You didn't? Yeah, my mother is a music teacher and I have a knack for it. I prefer to compose music, but I dabble in a few instruments." Bailey said, embarrassed. Talking about her talents made her feel a little like she was bragging.

"No need to be humble." Alice added, patting Bailey's shoulder. "You're extremely talented with music! It's why you were sorted into Ravenclaw, it's your creativity."

"I figured it had to be that because my grades are not the best." Bailey admitted. She had gotten better at studying, but she often lost herself in writing music and forgot to study.

"Why weren't you sorted into Ravenclaw then, Ben?" Alice asked, looking at the blue haired male. "You overflow creativity."

"Ah, but my ambition." Ben said, nodding his head. "The hat cut out Ravenclaw for an option almost as fast as it cut out Hufflepuff. I didn't have the bravery for Gryffindor I suppose." He shrugged and sipped his drink. "I find Slytherin a perfect match for me."

"It is." Bailey agreed completely. "Plus, you stay on task far more than I do."

"I gotta get good grades." He replied as Molly called them over for the countdown. He smirked at James and elbowed him, trying to get him to stand next to Eleanor. James' face went pink and he shook his head violently, all his courage leaving him when he looked at the girl.

They all began to chant the numbers, getting louder the closer they got to zero. The second it hit zero, everyone interrupted into cheers and the couples all kissed.

"Hey, wait," Eleanor muttered, looking at Alice and Ben with a confused expression on her face. "Why didn't you two kiss?"

"Hm?" Ben mumbled, taking over answering. "Oh, because we're dating?"

"Of course." Eleanor answered, furrowing her brows now. What was Ben up to? Albus watched this exchange, not understanding what was going on either.

"Hahaha, funny thing about that, we aren't." Ben said with a laugh and the others stared at him. "Yeah, pretty wicked prank, wasn't it? Alice and I got you all good." He nodded to Alice, who laughed, patting Ben's shoulder.

"Oh yes, funny, wasn't it? I think we did quite the job with it." She added, backing him up.

"What?" James asked, eyes wide. "Mate, you really had me fooled!"

Ben and Alice both sighed with relief as the others began to believe it.

"Honestly didn't think it would be that easy." He said quietly into Alice's ear, pleased how well it went. Eleanor was angry that she was fooled by the prank, while James thought it was brilliant especially since they carried it on for so long.

"You're believable. Thank you." Alice replied, happy it was ended so nicely and that most of the others found it funny.

"Hm, good news for you." Scorpius mumbled to Albus, looking at his best friend. "That was quite the prank they pulled, it had me fooled. Think we were all fooled."

"I never thought to see it as a prank." Rose said and took a large bite of brownie. "Guess that is good news for you." She said with a mouth full of brownie and Scorpius handed her a napkin, wanting her to swallow her food before she spit it everywhere trying to talk.

Albus wasn't sure how to reply to them. Was it good news for him? At least now he didn't feel guilty about liking Benjamin, so, he guessed it was good.

"Are you going to make a move?" Rose asked and Scorpius shook his head.

"Yeah right. He's too scared to try anything." Scorpius earned a glare from Albus after saying this, even though he was right. Albus had no clue what he was going to do, but making a move was on the bottom of the list.

* * *

><p>"But, Headmistress-" Ben started, following McGonagall down the hallway. He pouted at her, hair turning green to match the inside of his robe. "I'd love to have detention with you today, but I promised Potter that I would help him study."<p>

"Mr. Youngblood, I am quite sure your plans with Mr. Potter are far from studying and more like planning another prank." She said and Ben wondered if she could read minds. "Remember I have been here for a long time, Mr. Youngblood."

"I don't doubt that, ma'am." He replied, keeping up with her in the hallway. "No pranks are ever pulled on you, though." She shot him a look and he quietened down, knowing he could never pull one over on her, even if he tried his hardest. "So what are we doing today?" He was long since done with usual detention with the headmistress. After giving him more homework failed to deter him from his antics, because he enjoyed her transfiguration homework, she made him help with whatever business he could assist her with, usually helping the first years get their spells down and tutoring them in transfiguration since he was so good with both the subject and with first years.

"As you may have heard, next year we shall be hosting the Triwizard Tournament. The first time since many many years ago, when Harry Potter was a student here." She explained, gaining his interest. "It's extremely imperative that this one go smoothly." They rounded the stairs, heading towards her office. "Of course, along with this, comes an absolutely absurd amount of work, including paper work. I have no time to grade these exams and I trust you will do it correctly."

"No problem, I can do that." He nodded his head, fine with helping out the woman. "Who will be coming to the school for tournament?"

"Ah, glad you asked. The Japanese school Mahoutokoro School of Magic and your school." She answered and he was confused for a second as she opened the door to her office.

"My school? This is my school?" He questioned and then he realized what she meant. "Oh, my old school. They're competing, really?" He entered her office and shut the door behind him, then went to sit down in front of her desk. She shuffled around, pulling out the papers he needed to grade.

"Yes, I was surprised by it as well. At least it will be interesting." She sat down and began on her own paperwork. Benjamin stayed quiet, grading the papers carefully, biting his lip as he did so. Soon he got down a rhythm with it and grading became much simpler and his mind began to wonder.

Would he get to come back for his final year, or would be forced to return home? Even if he was forced to return home, he still would get to attend school here due to the tournament, but, he wouldn't get to be a Slytherin. He wouldn't get to freely be with the others most likely and be stuck with the other Americans for their classes and dorms.

"Mr. Youngblood, is something troubling you?" McGonagall's voice popped him out of his thoughts and he looked up at her, his eyes green and his hair swirling grays and dark blues like thunderclouds. "I couldn't help to notice the…changing color of your hair."

"I was wondering….Bailey and I get to return next year, as Hogwarts students, right?" He asked her, suddenly very anxious. "Since it would be our last year, do you think they won't allow us on the foreign exchange program? Neither of us consider us exchange students anymore honestly. Hogwarts is our home."

"I will discuss that matter with your school. I do not see why you cannot return next year as a Hogwarts student." She replied, making note of it. She would like to have the two Americans return as Hogwarts students just as much as they would. "You both have extraordinary talents and, not to offend your other school, I fear that your talents would be wasted there. You both excel here and it is best if you both stay here."

"You think I have extraordinary talent?" Ben questioned, hair brightening to his normal color. It caught him off guard to hear such praise from the woman.

"Of course I do. Do you think I allow just any student to assist me in grading papers?" She questioned, catching the dimples on his face when he smiled. She took in his new face, examining it when he looked down to finish the paper he had been grading before they got distracted. "And, Mr. Youngblood?" She questioned and he looked up, wide bright blue eyes staring at her.

"Yes ma'am?" He questioned, wondering what she needed.

"I do hope you allow your true smile to show more often." She said and he stared at her before realizing what she meant. He hadn't even noticed he had let it slip up, but the headmistress reminded him so much of his grandmother, it felt normal.

"Uh, working on that, ma'am." He mumbled and she nodded her head, going back to her papers.

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><p>A knock on the door pulled McGonagall out of her own thoughts of paperwork.<p>

"Come in." She said, putting her quill down and straightening her papers into neat stacks.

"Excuse me-" Neville said as he entered her office, stopping when Ben looked up at him. Ben instantly shifted back into his usual face with a panicked expression plastered on his face. "-oh, hello Benjamin."

"Hello Professor Longbottom. Uhm, I'm done with these papers, ma'am." He stood and stacked them and set the quill onto them. "Should I?" He questioned, looking at the headmistress.

"Yes, Mr. Youngblood, you've done enough today, thank you for your help. Run along to Mr. Potter and try to stay out of trouble, or at least make an attempt at it." She said but knew the male would be in trouble again.

"Thank you. I'll make an attempt." He grinned and nodded at both professors before slipping out the still opened door.

"That boy…." Neville started, shaking his head as McGonagall awaited the rest of what the man was going to say. "He's a wild card, yeah? A brilliant, yet wild card." She looked surprised at this, because Ben was not Neville's favorite student. He took the seat Ben had previously been sitting in and twirled the quill around his fingers.

"I believed that you didn't favor him that much, Professor, due to his relationship with your daughter."

"I didn't, until I found out they weren't actually dating." He told her, surprising her. "Yeah, I know, they sure did act like it. Turns out he was helping her test the waters with me. He's an odd one, I was just getting used to the idea he might be my son-in-law one day."

"There's always time, Mr. Longbottom, but I believe Harry might be the one who will be calling Benjamin his son-in-law."


	31. Chapter 31

**I'm so sorry for being late on this. The girl who created Eleanor is no longer my friend for reasons so I was wondering if I wanted to continue to this story, or make an attempt to rewrite it without Eleanor, but I decided that I wanted to carry on, because I've gotten so far and I love how all the characters flow in this story.**

**I think the library would be an extremely magical place, not so boring like in the movies.**

**With that being said updates will be slow. If you guys have any ideas, I'm open to them (I know you want more Ben and Albus, that will be coming). There's so much I can do it's hard to narrow it down so it'll be helpful to hear what you guys want. **

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><p>Ben yawned in the Great Hall, the sound of rain hitting the roof of the school was clear as day. "Rainy days makes me sleepy." He twirled his pencil around his fingers, staring down at his sketchbook. All his homework was done and James was half asleep, chin propped up by his hand.<p>

"Mhm, I get what you mean, mate." James grumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. "Maybe we're sleepy because we stayed up late last night with that prank?" He figured that did have something to do with it.

Ben's eyes scanned the room, seeing Fred excitedly telling a story, looking like he got a full night's rest. "How can Fred be so alert? No sleep last night, plus rain, means sleep." He and James could do all nighters and be fine, but the rain was something they hadn't expected and it was making them want to fall asleep. He continued to stare at his sketchbook, but nothing was coming to mind. "Sleepy and artist block? That's unfair."

"Maybe you should try studying some. We'll be learning about Amortentia in potions class next week." Eleanor said as Bailey sat next to her, needle working a bird into her cloth. She glanced up and stretched her fingers. "Aren't any of you excited?"

"I suppose, it is an amazing potion." Bailey replied, going back to what she was doing.

"Eh, it's just a love potion." Ben shrugged, not interested in it. "I've never really been into all that sort of stuff, so I don't have much interest in it." He looked over at James, who was fiddling with the end of his robe, trying to stay out of the conversation. Of course the male would be nervous about it, he was one of the only ones in their group who had a crush on someone. "I'm interested to see what it smells like to me. What about you, James?" He questioned and James elbowed him, not appreciating calling him out.

"Yeah yeah, sure it'll be fun." He muttered as Eleanor looked at him. Bailey giggled and continued her needlework, not meeting James' embarrassed and angry expression.

"How's the trio doing with their patronous spells?" Ben questioned, changing the subject due to the increasing redness of James' face.

"Still in the incorporeal stage, but Rose is really close." James glanced over at his cousin, brother, and Scorpius, who were all engrossed in their homework. "She really wants to get her's before the other two. I told them I'd help them."

"You were only able to do yours because we would've been dead if you hadn't." Ben muttered, looking at his best friend. "I don't think you are in the position to teach them."

"You couldn't even do yours." James argued and Ben frowned, not wanting to think about that.

"You know that I couldn't." It wasn't his fault that he had more bad memories than good, that he was such an easy target for a dementor. He would've been drained in no time flat if James hadn't saved him. He twirled his pencil around his finger, mood worsening. He knew if he faced a dementor again, he would win, possibly, maybe. He had far more happy memories to cling onto and protect himself and the others with now, but what if all that confidence and happiness went down the drain the second he saw one of the monsters? He wished he could cast a spell on himself to make him forget all his horrible memories, maybe then he'd feel more confident.

"James, why would you say that?" Alice whispered, seeing Ben's hair turn black and his down casted eyes turn gray.

"Mate, I'm sorry, that was outta line." James apologized, realizing what he had said. He knew it wasn't Ben's fault, especially not fifth year Ben's fault. "You could take on twenty of them now with that leopard of yours."

"Haha, twenty might be pushing it." Ben played it off, forcing a chuckle. He wasn't mad at James but he wasn't feeling any better with the apology. "I have a free period, so I think I'm going to take a nap. I can barely keep my eyes open." He said, putting up his things. "A nap will probably help with my art block too. Don't let me sleep through dinner like last time." He told them before he stood and pulled his bag over his shoulder. He turned and left them, wanting to be alone for a while.

"Hey, there goes Ben. Why don't you go talk to him?" Rose suggested, wiggling her eyebrows at her cousin. Albus looked up from his book in time to see Ben leave the Hall, then looked at his cousin, who was still wiggling her eyebrows.

"Please stop." He muttered, embarrassed. "It'll look weird if I go follow him." Ever since Rose, and the others, had found out that Alice and Ben dating had been a prank, she pushed Albus towards the metamphorgus whenever she could.

"Al, c'mon, we know you like him." She nudged her boyfriend, who almost dropped the food that was on his spoon from the force of her nudge. "Why not give it a go?"

"I have things to study for." He mumbled, brushing it off. "Besides, it's weird. He's my brother's best mate."

"Oh, don't even try that." Scorpius told him, getting his food back onto his spoon. "If you don't want to talk to him, then don't, but don't mope about it later." He turned the page in the book he was reading and ate his food. "I know we have quite a lot of studying and exams at the end of this year, but it wouldn't hurt for you to improve your relationship with Ben."

Albus made a face, but he knew his best friend was right. There was no sense in shying away from Benjamin. He should try to speak to him more and get to know him better.

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><p>Albus dodged an incoming book in the library, waving his hand at the person who casted the spell and was apologizing for nearly hitting him. He headed towards the back, the more quiet area of the library. He caught sight of Ben, who was sitting in a plush chair by the window, staring out at the view below. His legs were draped over the side of the chair, sitting sideways like he and James usually did. He knew Ben had a free period right after lunch on some days, but he usually spent it with his friends, not alone in the library.<p>

"Hello Ben." Albus greeted, a bit of nervousness in his gut. He didn't want to disturb him.

"Hello there, Albus." Ben replied, not pulling his eyes from the window. "What brings you to this part of the library without the other two of your trio?"

"Needed a little quiet downtime before my next class. I figured I'd come here to relax." He answered, wondering if he should take a sit in the chair near Ben's, or if he should leave Ben to himself.

"Same. Sometimes you need some time to yourself." Ben nodded his head and Albus took this as a sign that Ben wanted to be left alone. "C'mon, sit down, no use standing there, yeah?" He turned to look at Albus now, his eyes were their natural blue. Albus had to force himself to pull his eyes away from them and take a seat. He couldn't understand why Ben never showed his true facial features, he was so attractive, why cover it up? He wondered if it had something to do with his family, but he didn't think he had a right to ask about it. James didn't even know why, so there was no way Ben would tell Albus.

Albus noticed the sketchbook in his lap, a blank page was present instead of a page filled with drawings. His pencil and eraser sat on top of the page, looking like they hadn't been touched since Ben placed them there. Ben went back to looking out the window, the weather still dreary and rainy. Ben didn't say anything else, so Albus pulled out his book and began to read it, submerging himself within the pages of the story. Free time was rare, and he wanted to spend it doing things he enjoyed. All Rose wanted to talk about lately was the Patronus charm; he didn't blame her, he wanted to get it down as well, but he needed a break from it.

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><p>"What are you reading?" Ben's question broke him from his thoughts and he looked up from his book, meeting blue eyes.<p>

"This book mum and dad got me for Christmas. It's uh…" He didn't know how to explain the story without telling Ben it had a gay romance in it. Did Ben even know that he was gay? "Uh, a gay teen fiction book." He said and Ben didn't seem fazed at all. "Because I'm gay." Albus hated himself so much right now. He was usually so smooth with his words but Ben was throwing him off his game.

"Oh, cool, me too. Well, technically, pan, but you get it." Ben shrugged and Albus felt relieved and happy to hear this. "I read a lot of fanfiction, but never really any books unless they're about dragons. Is it good? I guess it is with how into it you are."

"Yeah, it's very good. I had been waiting for it to come out for a few months. I'll let you borrow it if you want?" He asked and Ben nodded his head.

"That'd be nice. I feel like all I ever do is draw, and I'm so lost when I hit an artist block." He sighed, not knowing what to draw. "I don't have many other hobbies, so it's weird to not be able to draw anything, or have ideas. I've read every book on dragons in this school, so that option is out."

"You're having an art block?" Albus questioned, now understanding why Ben hadn't drawn anything. "I've never had that issue before, mostly because I am rubbish at drawing. Maybe you need to take a break from drawing or try not to think about it. If you keep searching for inspiration, you won't find it. You'll happen upon it sooner or later. There's no sense in stressing yourself out about." He told Ben, hoping he was helping. "I don't know how much help I am. I don't understand the struggles of an artist."

"Haha, I'm not really an artist." Ben said with a small smile, feeling better. "That does help a lot, thanks. I've been in a rut for the past two weeks when it comes to art. I guess I was just stressed and haven't been feeling creative. Thank you, Albus."

"Not a problem. Glad I was able to help." Albus was extremely pleased with himself for helping out Ben. "I should probably take my own advice when it comes to the patronus charm. I feel like every time I do it lately, it's getting weaker."

"It's a tricky spell, everyone has difficulty with it." Ben told him, hoping it would make Albus feel better. "You've gotten the non-corporal form down and that's difficult within itself. I swear I was stuck at that stage for months. I thought I was the only one until the others started talking about their issues with it. The more you try, the more stressed you'll get. Not saying that you shouldn't practice—you should—but don't go overboard."

"How did you get your corporal form down?" Albus asked, wanting to get his before Rose could.

"Al, I'm all for competition, but competition between two Slytherins, cousins at that, is a bit dangerous for me to get between." Ben chuckled, knowing why Albus wanted to get his down. "You two need to work off each other, it's important for this charm. I don't draw to get better than other people, I draw for my enjoyment and to better myself. Art, however, isn't something you can compare easily since everyone has their own style and take on it. What you think is great art is something others might not see the same way. Anyway, I'm getting off track." He shook his head, pulling himself back to the discussion at hand. "What I'm trying to say is that the charm relies heavily on your memories; your happiest memories."

Albus sighed, but he knew Ben had truth to what he said. If he kept doing the charm in hopes of getting it down right before Rose, it would never work. "Can you show me yours?" He asked, wanting to see how Ben casted the spell.

"Yeah, sure." Ben moved his things to the table beside his chair and stood, robe slipping off his shoulders. He tossed it onto his chair—Albus guessed he had been using it more as a blanket—and pulled his wand out of his bag. "This will be embarrassing if I can't get it to go. It's not one of my best spells." He felt a pang of worry but he shoved it off, not wanting it to cloud his thoughts. He ran through his memories before deciding on one, then slowly begin to draw circles with his wand. "Expecto Patronum." He spoke softly, not wanting to cause a disruption in the library.

Albus watched the blue light come from the wand in swirls, like smoke. It was just like how his professor had showed them when she demonstrated the charm. A leopard emerged from the swirls, letting out a low growl. It leapt forth and went around Ben in a protective manner. Albus wanted to reach out and touch it, but he knew his hand would go right through it. The big cat let out another growl before it disappeared with a smile from Ben.

"Uh, what was that?" They heard a student a little ways over ask, looking at his friends. "I heard a lion or something."

"I wouldn't worry too much." His friend said, not even looking up from his book.

Ben smirked as Albus held back his laughter. "That was amazing." He told Ben, still astounded by it. "You made it look so effortless." It looked so lifelike, and the animal itself was an interesting one.

"It's not so hard once you get it down I suppose, but it depends on the situation. Who knows if I could actually do it when I need it?" He brought himself down again, thinking about what had happened at lunch. "Your brother did his when I was in trouble and couldn't do it myself."

"But that was last year, you could do it now if you needed to." Ben felt a little better hearing how confident Albus was with it. "What did you think about when you casted it?" Albus asked, wanting Ben to think about something else.

"When I begin to do it last year, I thought about my mom a lot, but it wasn't strong enough. Then I decided to think about when I was little and lived with my grandmother. She used to make the dragons in my books come to life and fly all around the room. That's one of the happiest memories of my childhood. When I did it this time, I thought about the New Year party and how good it felt to be surrounded by my friends." He admitted, feeling a little embarrassed by it. "Sometimes a memory you think is happy isn't happy enough. Happier the memory, the stronger the charm." He said as he put his wand back in his bag and sat back down.

"I'll have to start thinking of some memories I could use." Albus decided, knowing it was easier said than done. He had a lot of happy memories, but which were the happiest?

"Which ever ones bring you joy when you think about them; ones that give you warm fuzzy feelings." Ben grinned as he said this. "Let me know when you figure out your patronus." Albus nodded his head, mind running full speed trying to pick a memory that made him smile at the thought of it.

He watched Ben pick up his pencil and begin to draw. He watched him sketch the outlines of the drawing for a few minutes before smiling to himself and returning his attention back to his book.


End file.
